With primary and secondary schools across Conwy County Borough Council continuing to experience the Welsh Labour created funding crisis, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, and Shadow Minister for Children and Young People, has challenged the Welsh Government to “properly invest in our children’s future”.

This follows the announcement by the UK Conservative Government that the Welsh Government will receive £1.24 billion in extra spending directly for schools.

Commenting on the situation, Janet said:

“Welsh pupils’ education has been penalised by the Welsh Labour Government.

“Despite the fact that for every pound spend on education in England, £1.20 is sent to Wales, per-pupil spending is £645 less here than across the border.  

“What we have is a clear case of Welsh Labour and their Lib Dem Minister having unnecessarily underfunded schools and local authorities in Wales.

“Aberconwy has been hit hard as the First Minister provided the largest percentage cut in Wales to our Local Authority’s settlement, crippling Conwy’s budgets.

“The chaos this has caused is well known as I ensured that the courageous warning letter written by local secondary school head teachers was heard in the Senedd earlier this year.

“Having visited many schools recently, I know that every single one is having to consider serious measures so to make savings and attempt to balance books.  This is wrong, as is the fact that Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy, a school of 660 pupils, will for the first time this century only have one full time music teacher.

“The Conservative Government is once again giving the Welsh Government money to make a U-turn on the policy of education underfunding, so I have challenged Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education, to properly invest in our children’s future now”.

ENDS

Written Assembly Question to Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education:

Following the announcement that the Welsh Government will receive £1.24 billion in extra spending directly for schools, will the Minister consider creating an emergency fund for schools in North Wales that are facing serious financial problems, and state by how much she will increase per-pupil spending across Wales?

Notes:

Janet’s statement for the Fund Conwy Schools Campaign protest

Aberconwy AM, Janet Finch-Saunders, weighs into school funding cut debate

UK Government committed to Wales with fresh boost for Welsh Labour Government