THE LEADER of Harlow Labour has looked at the latest government offer and asked the question: Are Harlow’s schools facing yet more cuts?

Councillor Chris Vince said: “Teachers’ unions have recommended that teachers accept the 6.5% pay increase offered by the government, as recommended by the pay review body, even though this means another fall in the real terms value of teachers’ pay. 

The Conservative government have said this pay award is fully funded, but the truth is more complicated than that. In its report published today, the STRB said it estimated the recommendations would increase the pay bill by approximately £1.6 billion for mainstream schools, but Prime minister Rishi Sunak has said the government will not borrow more money to fund the rise, meaning the DfE will have to find savings and efficiencies within existing budgets.

“No extra money, beyond the 3.5% increase that had already been agreed by the Treasury to meet inflationary costs, has been allocated to the overall education budget. Instead the education department expects schools to fund pay rises from within the existing expenditure envelope. This will be achieved, according to the Education Secretary, by delaying some projects and cancelling others. 

The net result is that schools with leaking roofs are less likely to see vital repairs. Investment in new equipment and books will not happen. Over crowding in areas of population growth will worsen.

The situation is particularly hard for those schools that strive to be fully inclusive. These schools employ extra support staff for pupils with additional needs, staff that fulfill vital roles, but who are not teachers. Pay rises for these staff are not funded. These schools, which cater for the most disadvantaged, be hardest hit.

“To be clear, whilst teachers fully deserve this pay rise, it is not fully funded and it will result in cuts to schools in Harlow and across the country. This is a political choice. Taxing non dom’s, charging VAT on private school fees, a real windfall tax on the excessive profits of the energy companies could have been used to fully fund public sector pay rises and so much more beside. But this Conservative government have instead chosen to protect the obscenely wealthy at the expense of public services. I say that is the wrong choice.