Anne Marie has launched a major petition calling on the Government to introduce “fairer funding” for schools in Newton Abbot.

 

Anne Marie Morris launched her latest campaign in response to recent revelations that Devon’s school pupils are some of the worst funded nationwide.

 

She will be collecting signatures for her petition from parents outside schools in Newton Abbot this week, to coincide with the launch.

 

The latest Government allocations for primary and secondary pupils within the Devon LEA are ranked 145^th out of 148Education Authorities in the country – with only Leicestershire, South Gloucestershire and Herefordshire more poorly funded.

 

The figures mean that, as the new school year started in September, local schools receiving £3,707 per pupil. That equated to:

 

·       £659 less per pupil than Bristol

·       £2,582 less per pupil than the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

 

In Newton Abbot, and based on pupil figures on September 1^st, the funding would mean, for example, Decoy Primary Schoolreceiving £29,3255 less to spend on teachers, assistants, resources and equipment than if is were in Bristol, while Rydon Primary School would receive £33,656 less.

 

In response, Anne Marie has launched a campaign calling on fairer funding for all children, with the same needs, wherever they live.

 

On Thursday, November 6^th Anne Marie will be collecting signatures from parents for her petition outside Rydon School, in Rydon Road, Newton Abbot. She will then move to outside Decoy School, in Deer Park Road, Newton Abbot on Friday.

 

Once all the signatures have been collated, the petition will be presented to Downing Street.

 

Speaking ahead of the launch Anne Marie, who is also the Conservative Prospective MP for Newton Abbot said: “The Government has increased education funding recently, which is tremendous.

 

“However, Devon’s funding started from lower and has gone up by less than almost everywhere else in the country.  As a result the funding gap has got wider rather than narrower.

 

 

Anyone wishing to sign the petition should contact Anne Marie on either 01395 233503 or write to, 9c Mill Park, White Cross Road, Woodbury Salterton, EX5 1EL.