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Fairer funding
for schools in the North West
SCHOOLS in some of the
least fairly funded local areas across the North West will benefit
from a £390 million cash boost in the biggest step towards fairer
schools funding in a decade, Schools Minister David Laws announced.
In March, the Government announced that it would take action to
tackle the unfair and complicated system of allocating local school
funding, and launched a consultation on how to deliver an additional
£350 million to schools in the least fairly funded areas by setting
minimum funding levels.
The Government has published details of how an extra £390 million;
£40 million more than was announced in March; which will be allocated to
increase the budgets of the least fairly funded areas, while
ensuring no other local Council's per pupil funding will be reduced
from its current level.
Areas across the North West including Cheshire, Salford and Cumbria
will all receive an increase in funding.
Schools Minister David Laws said:- "This £390 million boost -
£40 million more than was announced in March - is the biggest step
toward fairer schools funding in a decade, and will go a long way to
removing the historic unfairness of the funding system.
Crucially, we have ensured no local authority will see a reduction
in its budget as a result of our reforms, while local authorities in
the least fairly funded areas will see an increase. This
increase in funding will make a real difference on the ground to
schools across the North West without creating instability,
uncertainty or cuts in any local area."
Funding will be allocated to local areas on the basis of the
characteristics of their pupils and schools, rather than on
historical data that is out of date and no longer reflects pupils'
needs.
This will mean that in 2015 to 2016 every local area will attract a
minimum level of funding for each of its pupils and schools, making
the distribution of funding to local areas much fairer. In every
local area, this will mean, for example, that the most deprived
pupils in primary schools will attract at least £4,454; in key stage
3 at least £5,820; and key stage 4 at least £6,372, and this will
continue to be supplemented by further direct funding through the
Pupil Premium.
The announcement today will build on the progress already made to
ensure school funding is fair and transparent. Local authorities now
allocate almost 90% of schools funding based on the needs of pupils
compared with to only 71% in 2012 to 2013. These reforms will ensure an
immediate increase to the least fairly funded local Councils and
will pave the way for the implementation of a national funding
formula over the next Parliament. |
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Mayor's giant
gift for Royal de Luxe
A painting commissioned by
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has been handed over to Royal de
Luxe director Jean Luc Courcoult.
Liverpool born Allen Heron's work depicts the Giants sailing out of
the City in in 2012 as part of the Sea Odyssey, which marked 100
years since the Titanic sank.
Allen and the Mayor handed the piece of art to Jean Luc during
rehearsals for Memories of August 1914, which starts in Liverpool on
Wednesday, 23 July 2014.
Mayor Joe Anderson said:- "Allen is a fantastic artist and I
asked him to come up with a piece of work which the City could give
to Jean Luc to thank him for the fabulous memories he left us with
during Sea Odyssey.
It captures one of the many memorable moments which enchanted the
City during 2012." 57 year old Allen has spent his working life in a range of roles
from builder to community health worker, but has always been keen to
pursue his ambition of working as an artist.
He has been producing community art work for more than a decade, and
has also spent a great deal of his private time working with and
supporting children, young people and adults with learning
difficulties using the medium of art.
His work covers a wide range of artistic styles from abstract to
landscaping.
Allen said:- "I am passionate about painting and it was a real
honour to be commissioned to paint this artwork on behalf of the
Mayor. I hope Jean Luc loves it as much as I do."
Southport Access For Everyone
(SAFE) - Forum Update
THE next meeting of
Southport Access For Everyone forum will be held at the Victoria
Methodist Church, Sussex Road, Southport, PR8 6DG.
On Monday, 28 July 2014 at 7 pm. This is a free public meeting.
The premises are fully accessible for wheelchair users with adequate
car parking facilities, and light refreshments will be served before
the meeting commences.
Anyone with an interest in disability issues is welcome. Our
website.
For further enquiries go to our website or telephone:- 07866531036. |
