Motion From Councillor Howson
“Across Oxfordshire small primary schools serve an important purpose in creating an education system where the school is firmly located within its community. Children can walk or cycle to school: these schools form a vital hub for many communities.
This Council wishes to express concern to the government at Westminster that the new funding formula for schools does not destroy schools with fewer than 250 pupils unintentionally, as a result of making them financially unviable.
Many of these schools have been part of the education scene in Oxfordshire for more than 150 years.
Around 100 primary schools in Oxfordshire lose money under the proposed new formula and schools set to receive extra funding will be capped below the amount they should receive.
This Council asks the Cabinet Member for Education to write to the Secretary of State for Education to express the concerns of this Council that the proposed new formula could lead to the wholesale closure of small schools, especially as any resulting increase in transport costs would fall on the council tax payers of Oxfordshire and additionally that some Oxfordshire schools will not receive the full funding identified as due to them under the new formula.”
Decision:
Motion carried nem con.
Minutes:
Councillor Howson moved and Councillor Fooks seconded the following Motion:
“Across Oxfordshire small primary schools serve an important purpose in creating an education system where the school is firmly located within its community. Children can walk or cycle to school: these schools form a vital hub for many communities.
This Council wishes to express concern to the government at Westminster that the new funding formula for schools does not destroy schools with fewer than 250 pupils unintentionally, as a result of making them financially unviable.
Many of these schools have been part of the education scene in Oxfordshire for more than 150 years.
Around 100 primary schools in Oxfordshire lose money under the proposed new formula and schools set to receive extra funding will be capped below the amount they should receive.
This Council asks the Cabinet Member for Education to write to the Secretary of State for Education to express the concerns of this Council that the proposed new formula could lead to the wholesale closure of small schools, especially as any resulting increase in transport costs would fall on the council tax payers of Oxfordshire and additionally that some Oxfordshire schools will not receive the full funding identified as due to them under the new formula.”
Following debate the Motion was put to the vote and was carried nem con.
RESOLVED: Accordingly.