Three schools see deficits double – but council says priority is ‘not to balance the books’

Three of four secondary schools in Monmouthshire have seen deficits more than double in a year, prompting a call for the council to provide more support.

The number of schools in deficit in the county has increased from 15 to 17, with the overall balance rising from £234,000 to £434,000 in the last financial year.

Secondary schools have an overall deficit of £931,000, with a council report describing the situation as “particularly acute.”

Caldicot, Chepstow and King Henry VIII Comprehensive schools have seen their deficits double, while Monmouth Comprehensive’s debt has reduced but remains the highest at £463,000.

But questioned over the situation at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, councillor Richard John said the priority for schools is education standards – “not to balance the books.”

Cllr John, who has responsibility for education, said recovery plans are in place for schools in deficit but that standards must also be maintained.

“Teaching and learning is the overall priority and I really think we would be doing young people a disservice if we were to put money ahead of school standards,” he said.

Cllr John said the council is considering a “loan facility” for Monmouth Comprehensive as the council does not want to stop headteachers making “investments that they believe to be necessary to raise standards.”

He also said deficits had increased because of a rise in pupil numbers leading to a need for more staff, and said Welsh Government funding being based on a previous year’s numbers presented “significant challenges.”

But Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, the council’s Labour group leader, said the increase in schools going into deficit is a “worrying trend.”

“The dire debt problems largely fall on our secondary schools,” he said.

“Their finances are in a really bad state.”

Cllr Batrouni said it is “clearly a situation that cannot continue,” adding that schools have “endured six years of cuts” from the council.

“If the schools had just seen their budgets increase each year by inflation their budgets would be better off by £9.4m,” Cllr Batrouni said.

“The Tory administration have to start prioritising education and ensuring all our schools and teachers have the resources to do their jobs.”