Claims Northumberland is 'poor relation' compared to other local authorities due to schools funding formula

That was the claim made by councillors and stakeholders on Northumberland County Council’s family and children’s services overview and scrutiny committee, with the county being described as a “poor relation” compared to other areas.

Head of school organisation and resources, Sue Aviston, said the council had seen its school funding increase by £17.4 million to just over £298 million when compared with last year.

The increase was mostly due to the cost of living crisis, which has seen energy bills and staff wages increase significantly in the past 12 months and put huge pressure on school budgets. However, former head teacher and committee member Alan Hodgson hit out at the government’s funding formula, arguing it had failed to close historical gaps in funding.

He said: “Is the national funding formula smoke and mirrors? Traditionally we were funded in the bottom 10 per cent.

“Now in reality if there’s a national funding formula that means we’re funded the same as the leafy suburbs of outer London and Surrey and all these other well-funded areas – but the reality is Northumberland is still, by comparison, under funded.

“An extra £17 million is simply nudging us towards some of these other authorities, and not level with them. We’re always, by comparison, under-funded in Northumberland despite this notion of a national funding formula.

“We’re always going to be the poor relations.”

Mrs Aviston said there had been “considerable progress” in terms of school funding for Northumberland, with the council rising from third-worst in the country to “towards the middle of the table”. However, Mr Hodgson pointed out that age-weighted pupil units (AWPU) for children in Northumberland – the basic level of funding all pupils attract – was still significantly lower than elsewhere in the country.

He continued: “Per pupil, we’re still talking about a £2,000-£3,000 difference per pupil. That is massive. The idea was to fund every child the same but that is never going to happen.

“That is the frustrating thing. When you are under pressure to raise standards and produce additional support for SEND children in mainstream, it’s frustrating because it’s not the lack of will, it’s the lack of funding.”

Conservative councillor Richard Dodd, who represents the Ponteland North ward, pointed out that the council had seen a substantial increase in schools funding.

He said: “There’s £17.4 million extra going into Northumberland schools. That’s not a small sum of money – it’s quite a lot of money.”

But Labour’s Coun Caroline Ball, who represents the Ashington Central ward, argued: “It’s not just about that bit extra – it is about what we’re owed.”

The committee’s chairman, Coun Wayne Daley, agreed to ask for a “detailed report” to come back to the committee looking at the difference between Northumberland and other local authorities.

He added: “It’s not that this is a failing service, or that we have failing schools – it’s quite the opposite. We need to send a clear message that we have some outstanding staff doing a sterling job, and with a bit extra they can do even more.”