Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)

- Hansard -

I rise to present a petition of some 1,600 signatures of residents of the Congleton constituency and wider area.

The petition declares

that current Government proposals for a Fairer Funding Formula for schools do not achieve fair funding for pupils in the constituency of Congleton.

Indeed, they and other pupils in the Cheshire East local authority area would be the lowest funded in the country. Local headteachers state that that level of funding would not enable them to provide the standard of education, facilities and support that our pupils deserve.

I fully support the petition, which also states:

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review the proposed funding formula to reflect a fairer level of funding for local schools, to ensure that children in the local authority area of Cheshire East have the same opportunities as children in similar schools and other local authorities across the country.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The petition of residents of Alsager, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, Sandbach and elsewhere in and outside the Congleton Constituency,

Declares that current Government proposals for a Fairer Funding Formula for schools do not achieve fair funding for pupils in the constituency of Congleton.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review the proposed funding formula to reflect a fairer level of funding for local schools, to ensure that children in the local authority area of Cheshire East have the same opportunities as children in similar schools and other local authorities across the country.

And the petitioners remain, etc.]

[P002038]