THE Government’s proposed reforms to education funding pose a real threat to the future of children in Warrington.

Overall our secondary schools could lose up to £409 per pupil and some of our primary schools more than £600 per pupil.

Yet in response to questions I have asked in parliament, the Government insists that funding will rise.

It says Warrington North would see a rise of 0.90 per cent in school funding.

This is not the reality on the ground.

Even if its figures were right a rise of this level would not even match inflation. In fact the pressures on school budgets are much higher than the overall inflation rate.

The Government itself estimated, in response to another question I tabled, that those pressures will cost schools around eight per cent more.

So schools are not being given enough funding to cover extra costs, many of which have been imposed by the Government itself.

It is not surprising that many head teachers fear that, if this proposal goes ahead, they will have to lose staff and cut the number of courses available.

Yet bizarrely, in answer to yet another question of mine, the Government insists that it expects teacher numbers to rise. Cloud cuckooland!

No wonder parents are worried. I would be just as worried if I had a child at school now.

That’s why I repeat that I think it was unwise for the children, young people and families directorate to circulate a petition as they did some time ago, calling for the funding system to be reviewed (Warrington Guardian, March 16).

My understanding is that this was done by officers rather than elected members but you do not have to be a politician to guess that any re-jig undertaken by this Government was unlikely to benefit areas like Warrington.

So it has proved.

Now parents are up in arms and rightly so.

I shall continue to press the Government on this issue for lack of adequate funding threatens the viability of schools here in Warrington.

It’s also a false economy.

Now Britain is leaving the European Union we will need a skilled, well-educated population even more, to make our way in the world.

The signs are that the proposals may be altered.

Whether they will be altered in a way which benefits constituencies like mine is still doubtful.