Tories plan £3 million cuts to fund school 6th forms (London Liberal Democrats)

London Liberal Democrats <info@libdems4london.org.uk>

Tories plan £3 million cuts to fund school 6th forms

November 26, 2011 12:49 PM
Originally published by Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats

• [Nov 11]: TORY plans to build six^th forms at each of the borough's five secondary schools will cost local council taxpayers over £25 million and be financed by £3 million of additional cuts to council services.

These figures are revealed in a report on the council's capital programme going to the Council's Finance and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee due to take place on Monday 14^th November. The report details a cost of over £25m to provide sixth forms in every council operated secondary school. The Council will need to increase its borrowing significantly at an annual cost of around £3 million, resulting in further cuts to services.

Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Malcolm Eady said: "The Council has already planned to cut spending on services by 25 %, which is affecting the services it provides to adults and young people. To pay for their 6^th forms programme, further cuts in services will have to be made. This level of cost can only be justified if it can significantly improve the outcomes for our young people. Government statistics show that our 19 year olds, who have been through our borough secondary schools, are already ranked within the top 10% in the country on "A" Level performance.

Improved results are far from guaranteed. This plan could destabilise our local colleges. They currently provide a much wider range of courses, at all levels, than could be provided by individual small sixth forms. As with the Academy programme, it appears this administration is more interested in structural reorganisation then in educational outcomes for our young people."