YP Letters: How can Tory councillors still back school cuts?

THE chairman of North Yorkshire County Council’s education committee says there will inevitably be cuts in spending in the county’s schools this year due to lack of funds from central Government.

The Yorkshire Post says: Protests lessons. Heads march on Whitehall. Why?

He is my local councillor, Patrick Mulligan, elected from Aire Valley. He says: “Every year of austerity we have managed to balance our budget, but there is only so much you can cut, so it has really come to roost this year.”

Pressures including rising teachers’ salaries, alongside static Government funding, which will see the proportion of schools unable to balance their budgets soar to 60 per cent in 2020/21, i.e. in two years.

Few figures have been given, but school budget cuts of approximately £100 per child per annum are likely to face school heads and governors. Will any Tory MP or councillor raise this issue – and the scandal of neglect for social care – next week at the Tory conference? I doubt it, although so many counties face this situation.

Should Tory councillors grumble? Our local Tory MPs, including Julian Smith, all voted for these cuts. This is their policy. They believe in cutting back the state. Either Tory councillors support these policies – or resign from their party.