Struggling schools borrow over a half million pounds after budget cuts
Richard Evans, local democracy reporter
Two cash-strapped secondary schools will borrow a combined sum of over half a million pounds from Conwy Council after members slashed education budgets.
At a meeting at Bodlondeb, Conwy’s cabinet member for education admitted headteachers were losing sleep due to schools’ precarious financial position.
Ysgol Aberconwy in Conwy will now borrow £200,000 from Conwy County Council whilst Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay will borrow £351,000.
Both loans will be paid back over a five-year period.
Earlier this year, headteachers sent a letter condemning budget cut proposals in an already challenging post-Covid world.
Despite the warning, Conwy councillors voted in favour of 5% education budget cuts, with schools losing 51 members of staff to voluntary and compulsory redundancies.
Councillors also raised council tax by 9.67%.
Loans panel
At a cabinet meeting this month, Conwy’s cabinet agreed the loans for the two secondary schools, following a recommendation from a schools’ loans panel.
Cabinet member for education Cllr Julie Fallon addressed her fellow councillors.
“Myself and Charlie (leader Cllr McCoubrey) have met with a number of the headteachers,” she said.
“They’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this position.
“I sit on the redundancy panels.
“I know both these schools have gone through really significant financial planning.
“And it’s amazing they’ve got to this point to reduce this figure down as they have, and you’ll see Ysgol Aberconwy have requested a loan of £200,000, repayable over a five-year term, and Ysgol Eirias have requested a loan of £351,000, also repayable over a five-year term.”
She added: “All that work to get them to this point has to be well commended. It’s hard to see and hear teachers… I know one of the teachers we visited was having sleepless nights, trying to find a way of advancing the budget but doing it in such a way that meant they could continue to provide an excellent education for their pupils, and that is what both of these schools have done.”
The proposal was seconded by Cllr Chris Cater, and the decision was voted through.
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Please hire a proof reader who speaks English.
My blood pressure suffers when school-boy errors appear in the first sentence.
(I blame education cuts)
“Both loans will be paid back over a five-year period.”
This is disgraceful! The schools should not have to pay back, as they should not have to borrow in the first place.
I know that both of those schools work incredibly hard for their pupils, and both have very caring head teachers, as well as dedicated teachers and support staff.
They should never have been put in the position where they need to borrow. Welsh Government intervention is needed urgently in education in Conwy!
Ok, how are the schools involved supposed to pay this loan back? Is there a revenue stream outside of government funding? Or is it to be paid out of government funding over the next 5 years, if so finances will be reduced and standards will fall for 5 years. Is it not the government/ councils responsibility to deliver adequate funding??