Holmes Condemns Government 'smash and grab' plan on Chesterfield Schools

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Oct 2007

Your local MP, Paul Holmes today warned that a proposal by the government to take away cash reserves that local schools have built up will damage children's education.

The government have put out for consultation a proposal to siphon off 5% of the cash held in reserve in school budgets. Many schools build up reserves to invest in new equipment or as cover for a rainy day.

Paul Holmes MP for Chesterfield said "Frankly, I am amazed the government can even think of doing this. Taking money from school budgets in this way is little more than a smash and grab on careful schools that have planned for the future. The effect could be felt by many school children in Chesterfield.

"The government claims the money will be given back to councils to spend on education. My fear is that all they want to do is claim they are spending lots of new money on education when the reality is the government is spending the same money twice.

"I have written to local head teachers and the local education authority to ask them what the impact on local school budgets would be.

"This proposal by the government should be dropped immediately. Any money built up by schools in Chesterfield should stay with the schools for the benefit of children."