Council apologises for education funding error

5.16.17pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 29th Jun 2007

Richmond Council has apologised to the borough's schools for an administrative error that has led to them being told that they would receive more government grant this year than is actually the case.

Officers from Richmond Council's Education department made a miscalculation in the amount each school would receive in a specific grant for providing personalised learning support. The allocation to the borough's schools for this year has increased by over 65% up from £458,000 last year to £758,000. However council figures had suggested the grant for this year would be in the region of £2.5 million.

Schools have now been informed of this error and the Council has pledged to work with head teachers and governors to ensure this does not lead to any school having to make cutbacks. Commenting on the error Cllr Malcolm Eady, Cabinet Member for Education on Richmond Council said:

"We have apologised unreservedly to head teachers and the chairs of governors for this mistake, which should not have happened. Our priority now is to work with them to ensure that it does not result in financial hardship or cutbacks for any of them. To this end we are currently meeting with the Professional Association, representative head teachers and chairs of boards of governors to assess the exact extent of the problem. When we have concluded these meetings we will be in a better position to know exactly which schools may need our financial or other support. In the meantime I give an assurance that there will be no actual cutbacks over last years level of service in any of our schools as a result of this error. We have also put extra checks in place to ensure that similar errors are not made in future."