HASLEMERE MP Jeremy Hunt has this week warned that the bank balances of schools are set to be plundered by new Government plans. The Government announced in June that it would take five per cent of all unspent schools' budgets, every year for the next three years between 2008 and 2011. Local authorities and schools across the country, he said had been voicing their concern at the Government plans to raid school budgets. "This would mean over £250 million in cash will be grabbed back," claimed Mr Hunt, "an average of £10,000 per school." "Such a clawback will penalise prudent schools across Haslemere and Hindhead which save money, punish schools saving up to fund a major capital project, such as a new building, be retrospective, based on the balances in March 2007 onwards, hitting schools even if they have spent the surplus since then, and create a perverse incentive for schools to spend their surpluses by the end of the financial year, undermining long-term planning and encouraging waste." Across Haslemere and Hindhead, said Mr Hunt, this would mean losses over the next three years of £6,742 for Shottermill Junior School, £4,603 for Grayswood C of E Aided Infant School, £4,052 for Beacon Hill Community School and many more schools. "Headteachers are used to money from the Government coming with strings attached, but these planned raids are making a mockery of careful budgeting. Schools across Haslemere and Hindhead which have prudently put aside funds to invest in improving our children's futures now face a smash and grab raid. "It is unacceptable to force schools to give back money against their will. We should be giving local communities more opportunity and power over their lives, not less." However, welcome news. Mr Hunt went on to say: "I welcome the news that the Government has backed down about its unfair plans to take money from schools with budget surpluses. This will come as a relief for schools across South West Surrey." "However, the Government still hasn't ruled out the possibility of raiding money from schools' budgets in the future, which puts headteachers in the ridiculous situation where they are incentivised to try and spend their whole school's budget before the end of the financial year. "Headteachers should decide when and how they want to spend their school's funds, not the Government." l HASLEMERE residents are reminded that local MP Jeremy Hunt is holding a public meeting in the town to discuss housing and planning issues. With 'garden grabbing' a current bugbear, Mr Hunt will be joined at the meeting by Waverley Borough Council's chief executive Mary Orton, Farnham councillor Pat Frost and representatives from Friends of the Earth and Planning Aid South East. The meeting is to be held on Thursday, November 8, at the Haslewey Centre, Lion Green, between 7pm and 8 pm.
