| “The
Department is phasing in new funding arrangements for Boards
and schools and in January an SELB delegation to the Permanent
Secretary called for these arrangements to be fully implemented
within the next two years.
“At the current rate of progress this could take seven
years, resulting in a continuing unfair allocation for the
SELB.” As the Board notifies individual schools of their
budget allocations for 2004/05 head teachers have been told
that planned maintenance for their buildings in the new financial
year may not be carried out, as a result of the budget cut.
Mrs Alexander continued: “The Board is extremely disappointed
that the Department of Education’s financial allocation
to the SELB for 2004/05 is £226,470,000, representing
a base increase of just 1.54% over 2003/04.
“The quality of the pupil’s environment directly
affects his or her achievement and the Board’s inadequate
budget for the present financial year (2003/04) resulted in
cuts to the maintenance budget.
“Board members are again being forced to cut planned
spending on maintenance in 2004/05 as a result of the Department
of Education’s inadequate financial allocation.
“The Department’s target of reducing the backlog
of high priority maintenance by 6% this year will not be met.
Indeed the backlog could grow by as much as 10%. There may
be difficulty maintaining an adequate service to all schools.
“The Board is pleased that the budget delegated to schools
has increased by more than inflation. However, as a result
of the inadequate financial allocation, a shortfall of £3.639m
has been created for other school services, currently costing
£67m.
“These services include special education, pupil transport,
school meals, teacher substitution cost, school library books
and school rates.
“With the cost of special education provision rising
at approximately 15% per year and rates bills going up by
an average of 5%, demands on the financial allocation are
increasing significantly.
“Having been forced to cut £3.639m from its proposed
budget, the SELB has had to plan an increase of approximately
7.5% on the price of school meals. Further restrictions will
be faced at headquarters and for the Curriculum Advisory and
Support Service, despite the fact that the SELB spend per
pupil on these areas is the lowest or equal lowest of the
five boards. However, the major impact of these cuts will
be on the maintenance budget.
“The Board is acutely aware of the adverse impact curtailing
planned maintenance will have on schools and approved this
massive cut with the greatest reluctance, recognising that
there was no alternative.” |
