Torbay Labour gets in touch with schools to assess impact of the cuts Bay schools face

By PRSD, on Monday, February 28, 2011

School cuts: with a 70 per cent cut in spending for schools building and maintenance, Torbay Labour have got in touch with schools to asses the impact

Torbay Labour Party has written to every school in Torbay to assess the impact of the 70 per cent cut in spending for buildings and maintenance. They are also identifying what impact spending will have on staffing levels and class sizes.

Torbay Labour Party chairman, Darren Cowell told the PRSD: “In the past few years there has been significant investment in rebuilding, refurbishing and indeed building new schools in Torbay. Much of this work was long overdue due to years of neglect and poor maintenance.

“We now have schools to be proud off and we must ensure that they do not suffer from the same fate as in the past. It will not be accepted that the investment will be allowed to deteriorate and that our teaching staff and pupils will have to once again work in wet, drafty and drab classrooms.”

Labour’s Mayoral candidate, Patrick Canavan said: “We are very concerned at the hidden cuts in school spending. To slash 70 per cent from maintenance will have a significant impact and we want to hear from our schools how they may be affected.

“We are also very concerned that individual schools will have staffing levels cut which could affect the quality of education our children receive. With the increasing likelihood that more schools will have direct funding, it is essential we understand what impact school budgets will have on both the building, but more importantly the pupils.”

Torbay Labour Party’s letter will be waiting for headteachers after the half-term break and the analysis will be published in due course.

(from a press release)

(image: Classroom Some rights reserved by andresmh)