Clwyd West MS and Shadow Minister for North Wales Darren Millar has criticised the proposed cuts to school budgets in Conwy, describing them as “unacceptable”.
Conwy County Borough Council has indicated that funding for schools could be cut by 6-10%, although the exact number has not been decided, prompting headteachers in the county to sign a letter condemning such a move.
Darren is backing the headteachers and in yesterday’s debate on the Welsh Government’s Draf Budget in the Welsh Parliament, was highly critical of cuts to education, outlining the devastating impact they would have on children and young people.
He said:
“I fully support headteachers, parents and pupils in Conwy. It is outrageous that Conwy County Borough Council is proposing cuts of such magnitude to school budgets. I urge th to think again and consider the detrimental impact this would have on the lives of our children and young people and their future prospects.
“If you don't have a decent education, then it affects everything in the future. It affects your earning potential, it means you're more likely to end up in poverty, and poverty affects your health outcomes. It also affects the investment that comes into your nation.
“The Welsh Labour Government gets £1.20 to spend on a pupil here for every £1 spent on a pupil in England.
“Spending on schools is increasing in England and that means that Labour Ministers in Cardiff have the cash to increase funding on schools here too, so there really is no excuse to be cutting funding to our schools.”
In yesterday’s debate, Darren referred to the huge council tax hikes in Conwy and Denbighshire and urged Ministers to review the Funding Formula for Local Authorities, which currently provides North Wales councils with an unfair settlement.
Darren added:
“It is because of that that, that council tax payers in Conwy and Denbighshire are going to have to pay a 10 per cent increase in their council tax while still seeing a reduction in the public services that those local authorities are able to provide, including the investment that they can put in to things like schools, libraries and other important public services for the future.
“The Labour Welsh Government should stop wasting taxpayers' money on changing speed limits and more politicians, and should invest it in our public services instead.”
