Call on Borough for More School Cash

1.48.57pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th May 2003

Councillor Serge Lourie, Leader of the Opposition on Richmond upon Thames Council

Cllr Serge Lourie, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition on Richmond Council has called on the Council to provide more cash for schools.

"I know that the Minister for Education has called in the Conservative leadership for an urgent meeting about the funding fiasco for schools."

"Clearly the Labour Government has failed to provide sufficient funding for schools but this is not the whole story. Richmond upon Thames Council is building up reserves to £18 million and part of this could be released to the schools."

"We will be pressing the leadership of the Council to increase funding and would also be happy to join them in putting pressure on the Government."

"Children are suffering because no one in Government or the Council worked out that when you change pay scales, increase pension contributions and increase National Insurance you need to increase the budget even to stand still."

"Lib Dem Cllr Bob King and I are meeting with representatives of the administration to discuss schools and I shall be raising this as a matter of urgency. I am keen that we should try and rebuild the bipartisan approach that lasted thirty years under Tories and Liberal Democrat Councils and has broken down this year."