Matt Warman MP petitions Parliament for fair school funding

 

Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness, has joined all seven Lincolnshire MPs in petitioning Parliament for fair school funding.

Matt presented his petition, signed by 321 residents from across the Boston and Skegness constituency, on Tuesday 1st December. It declared the existing school funding formula unfair and requested that the House of Commons supports the earliest possible introduction of a new National Funding Formula for schools in England.

Petitions were also presented by Lincolnshire’s other six MPs – Karl McCartney MP (Lincoln), Victoria Atkins MP (Louth and Horncastle), Stephen Phillips MP (Sleaford and North Hykeham), Sir Edward Leigh MP (Gainsborough), Rt Hon John Hayes MP (South Holland and the Deepings) and Nick Boles MP (Grantham and Stamford). Under the fair funding proposals, per pupil funding in Lincolnshire would increase from £4,378.46 to £4,470.69 per year.

The presentation was led by Graham Stuart MP, the Vice Chairman of the F40 campaign that has called for school funding to be overhauled. It followed the commitment given by Chancellor George Osborne during last week’s Spending Review that the Government will consult on a new national funding rate for pupils in the New Year.

Matt said, “The presentation of the petitions, signed by thousands of people across the country, shows the strength of feeling that exists about school funding levels continuing to be unfair. The current system hits rural and urban areas alike and the campaign does not divide along party lines. Schools in Boston and Skegness deserve to receive fair funding for their pupils, so I want to see changes which will distribute this budget more evenly for the benefit of their education.”

“It’s great that Ministers have now committed to consult on how best to implement a new national funding formula, but I will continue to support the F40 campaign until we see fair funding delivered for our local schools. The campaign’s proposals will see our schools receiving the resources they deserve for the first time in several decades and I look forward to seeing action on this matter in the coming months.”

 

The petition of residents of Boston and Skegness,

Declares that the petitioners believe the existing school funding model in England is arbitrary and unfair; further declares that the ten best funded areas of England have on average received grants of £6,300 per pupil this year, compared to an average of £4,200 per pupil in the ten most poorly funded areas of England; and further declares that the petitioners welcome the Government’s commitment to introduce fairer school funding.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons supports the earliest possible introduction of a new National Funding Formula for schools in England.

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