Lunn: Plan for no schools to lose money should be welcomed

Alliance Education spokesperson Trevor Lunn has welcomed news that no school is set to lose money over planned changes to the education budget in the coming financial year.

Mr Lunn was speaking after the Education Minister updated the Education committee on Wednesday morning, after concerns had been raised over how the Minister planned to increase the budget of schools in poorer areas.

Trevor Lunn MLA said: “The Ministers announcement that no school will lose funding in the year 2014-15 is to be welcomed but it raises questions also.

“Firstly it means purely as a result of his proposals and some schools will find their budgets cut for other reasons, enrolment numbers etc. Secondly he should make it absolutely clear that all the schools listed in his indicative proposals last summer to have a cut in their budgets for 2014/15 will not now suffer a reduction.

“I appreciate the Ministers difficulty in predicting what will happen in 2015/16 and beyond as we do not know what the Education budget will be or indeed what any Departments will be.

“Aside from what the normal review will produce, we need a decision on ESA and progress on Area planning, both of which have substantial implications for the Education budget.

“I do feel however that Minister O’Dowd can and should give some reassurance to schools who are trying to set a three year budget and look forward to his final proposals, due in the next few weeks.”

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