HUNDREDS of parents have given their support to a campaign calling on the Government to introduce “fairer funding” for schools in Newton Abbot, it has been revealed.

 

Organiser Anne Marie Morris has revealed she has collected more than 300 signatures for her latest campaign, just days after it was officially launched.

 

Now, the local campaigner is making her final preparations before launching the next phase of her major petitioning exercise across the Newton Abbot area.

 

Anne Marie launched her latest campaign in response to recent revelations that Devon’s school pupils are some of the worst funded nationwide. It calls on the Government to introduce fairer funding for all children, with the same needs, wherever they live.

 

Last week, Anne Marie collected more than 300 signatures of support from parents for her petition outside both Rydon School and Decoy School, both in Newton Abbot.

 

Now, she is planning to deliver her petition outside more schools across Newton Abbot, while a major supermarket chain has also agreed to allow Anne Marie to collect signatures from local people, within the grounds of their store.

 

Speaking after the initial tally of signatures was collected Anne Marie, who is also the Conservative Prospective MP for Newton Abbot said: “I am extremely grateful to everyone who took the time to listen to my concerns and add their signature to my campaign.

 

“The fact that we managed to raise so many signatures in just a few days shows the high level of concerns that parents quite rightly have over this issue, and their desire to see a fairer funding system put in place for everyone.

 

“I am determined to make sure that every parent in the Newton Abbot area is given the opportunity to sign this petition if they feel strongly about this issue, which is why I will be outside other schools in the coming days and weeks collecting signatures.

 

“It is vital that we all come together to show the Government that the people of Newton Abbot are determined to have fairer funding for every pupil.”

 

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.

 

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

 

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.