Antionette Sandbach MP took Theresa May to task on ‘discrepancies’ in the proposed funding formula for schools.
The Eddisbury MP posed her question over the ‘issue of great concern’ in her constituency during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (January 11).
She said schools in rural Cheshire and the county’s areas of high deprivation will receive some of the lowest per-pupil funding rates in the country under the proposals and asked the Prime Minister if she agreed that ‘discrepancies must be addressed to ensure that Eddisbury pupils get the best possible start in life’.
But the PM defended the controversial new funding, calling the previous formula ‘unfair’ and insisted additional funding for schools has been included.
“I think it is right for us to look at bringing forward a new fair funding formula, making sure that funding is attached to children’s needs,” she said.
“Of course we recognise the particular issues of rural areas in this and that is why within the fair funding formula, additional funding for such schools has been included.”
The Prime Minister went on to urge MPs to make representations to a Department of Education consultation on the subject.
Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms Sandbach assured constituents that she will be contributing to the National Fairer Funding Consultation, which closes in March, to ‘support my constituent’s concerns’.
