selb news: SELB Education and Library Board facing cuts of £25

2005

Thursday 24 February 2005

Education and Library Boards facing cuts of £25 - £30 million

The Department of Education released the financial allocation for 2005-2006 to the five Education and Library Boards and schools last week. The Boards have carefully considered the implications of this allocation and can now confirm the education service faces serious financial shortfalls in the region of £25 - 30 million from 1 April 2005.

The Department of Education has reported that it allocated an additional £79 million (9%) to schools. Whilst this has been packaged as additional funding, analysis indicates that within this allocation there are significant additional costs associated with employment, pension and superannuation commitments and other costs normally outside of their budgets. When all this is taken into consideration the real increase to schools is estimated to be between 1% and 2.5%, from which pay and price inflation must be met.
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The allocation to the five Education and Library Boards to provide support services to schools has been increased by an additional £19 million (an average of 6%). Again when increases in employer’s costs and additional special education support are taken into account, the real increase is approximately 0.5%. When other pressures such as supporting schools in amalgamation processes, increased transport costs and ensuring adequate maintenance are considered, then all the Boards will face significant shortfalls in their budgets. It is estimated that the total shortfall will be between £25-30 million. This is in line with what Boards indicated back in the autumn 2004.

Board officers have impressed upon the Department the serious consequences for education if service reductions of the magnitude of £25-30 million are to be enacted. The suggestion that these savings could be made by efficiency savings is seriously flawed. The inevitable result will be real cuts on frontline services that will directly impact on the education and welfare of children.

All Boards are currently seeking urgent meetings with the Department of Education to obtain essential clarification on the allocations received and to impress upon the Department of Education the negative impact of
their budget announcement.

For further information contact:

Western Education and Library Board
Oliver Kelly /Angela Devine Tel: 8241 1412 / Mobile: 07786338015

Southern Education and Library Board
Brendan O’Hara Tel: 3741 5356

North Eastern Education and Library Board
Daryl Kenny Tel: 2566 2300

South Eastern Education and Library Board
Brendan MacPolin Tel: 9056 6266

Belfast Education and Library Board
Tel: 9056 4000

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