Allerdale council will write to the Government to raise concerns about school funding in the area.

Councillors agreed to write to Education Minister Justine Greening to ask her to reconsider the school funding formula as they fear it will mean less funding for schools in the area.

Councillor Joan Ellis, speaking on behalf of councillor Tony Lywood, who submitted a motion to the council, said the Secretary of State for Education had announced since it was submitted that she would pump £1.3 billion into school budgets, but the details will be announced in autumn.

She said: "We don't know how that money will be distributed to Allerdale schools. Schools in the area are at risk of losing up to 81 teachers and a number of support staff.

"This money is not new money, it's recycled from other areas of education budget."
She added that families were being asked for more and more money to meet the shortfall.

Councillor Peter Bales, who represents the Moorclose ward, said: "There are two schools in my ward. St Gregory's Primary School will lose £45,522, which is the equivalent of one teacher and a helper. The class sizes will be bigger and the school won't be able to do certain things that they do currently."

He added that Westfield Nursery and Primary School was set to lose £60,790, which was equivalent to two teachers.

He added: "We need to keep the pressure on."

But councillor Mark Jenkinson said increasing funding for schools had always been part of the Conservative Party's manifesto.

He added: "If the funding formula had been implemented in 2016, Westfield school would have had an increase of £48,000 in that year and St Gregory's an increase of £70,000."
He added the motion presented by Coun Lywood did not present any figures that would enable him to cast his mind.

He said: "I think there will be more money for our schools."

The motion was agreed.