Not such a happy New Year if you happen to be mainly interested in education it seems.
The latest poll shows that 30% of teachers are seeking to leave the profession—with government interference and targets a prime reason for such dissatisfaction.
Here in Medway we have our own crisis brewing, with money being at the root of the problem.
Medway provides an excellent education service. The government through Ofsted have said as much.
The government response to our raising of standards and good performance has been a curious one. Medway‘s education financial settlement from government is one of the lowest in the country, leaving councillors to fund the service!
From a government which came to power with the mantra "Education, education, education" this is a bizarre state of affairs.
Labour councillors last week came up with the answer to the problem. Lobby the government for more money? Complain to the Deputy Prime Minister that his new way of calculating finance settlements is flawed and discriminates against Medway?
No. They have recommended that council tax is raised by 12–15% to pay for the shortfall. Add in another government requirement that we spend an additional £1·5 million on youth services—another 3% on the council tax.
So Labour councillors want to increase council tax by up to 18% before we take account of anything else! The government formula says there should be an 8% rise to start with.
Get the picture? Between them Labour government and councillors want to increase council tax in Medway by AT LEAST 26%.
The reality is that Medway provides more than an education service. It provides social care, environmental services, transport, roads and leisure—to name but a few—all of which has to be paid for.
The Cabinet will have to decide how to construct the next budget taking account of education as well as all the other services. It will also have to consider how that substantial chunk of our population on fixed incomes will pay for their council tax rises.
Before Christmas I gave dire warnings of council tax increases of up to 43% and was attacked by other politicians for spreading scare stories. Now it seems they are voting to bring this about. I wonder if the people of Medway will thank them for it.