Date: 22 June 2007 14:45

PARENTS JOIN CAMPAIGN FOR FAIRER FUNDING

Parents and governors have thrown their weight behind a campaign to secure 
more money for Cambridgeshire's schools.

Cambridgeshire is one of 40 underfunded local authorities joining forces to 
lobby the Government for more cash.

Julia Thomson, a parent and governor at Teversham Primary School near 
Cambridge, has called on other parents and governors to urge their schools 
to take part in a massive consultation exercise aimed at persuading the 
Government to rethink its proposals for school funding.

Cambridgeshire currently receives £3,622 per pupil per year to fund both 
schools and educational activities provided by the local authority. This 
places Cambridgeshire in the lowest 15% of authorities in England. In 
comparison, Peterborough and Hertfordshire receive £3,929 and £3,730 per 
pupil respectively. Cambridgeshire also receives over £3,000 less per pupil 
than the highest funded authority in the country.

Mrs Thomson said: "I fully support this campaign, and I know many other 
parents and governors share my views. Cambridgeshire schoolchildren have 
been shortchanged for too long. It is iniquitous that schools in 
neighbouring authorities should receive so much more funding per pupil than 
in Cambridgeshire when the standard of living and its associated financial 
pressures are so obvious."

Coun Shona Johnstone, Conservative Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, 
said: "I am delighted that Mrs Thompson and other parents and governors have 
joined our campaign. This has been going on for too long. Cambridgeshire has 
been underfunded for many years and successive Governments have done little 
to address it. Securing a better deal for Cambridgeshire is one of my top 
priorities as Leader. Our schools deserve better."

Headteachers across Cambridgeshire and the other f40 group of underfunded 
authorities have been sent a consultation paper, which must be filled in by 
June 1.

John Reynolds