West Berkshire schools cash clawback ‘an omnishambles’
West Berkshire Council has made a partial climbdown in the schools cash clawback row.
At a specially convened meeting last night (Thursday) the council leader conceded that ‘not all of the £2.8m’ originally sought in the cash raid would be collected.
The schools with cash earmarked for clawback have until September 11 to make their case in the review now being undertaken.
But the issue was lambasted by the opposition, saying the process had been ‘an absolute omnishambles’ full of ‘dither and delay’.
The row kicked off because the council announced the clawback would happen a year earlier than expected and three months in to the financial year – after schools had committed budgets.
And it escalated because the affected schools were not allowed to vote in the Schools Forum decision to move the date forward.
Plus it has been claimed the forum was strong armed into making the decision, with the suggestion from the council that unless it did so, the whole matter would be taken out of its hands by the Government.
That assertion was rejected by the council, with Heather Codling (Lib Dem, Chieveley and Cold Ash), portfolio holder for children and family services, saying: “When our finance team received schools budgets in May, the council indicated it might appeal to the secretary of state to review the Schools Forum decision – as it went against original consultation with schools.
“All permissible within DfE rules.
“It is entirely possible the appeal could have been rejected.
“But the Schools Forum agreed, unanimously, to reconsider their decision.
“They then had more information and wanted to be in control of their own decisions and not cede them to the secretary of state.
“The decision was confirmed by forum to clawback in this year from balances held at March 2024.
“This council did not pressurise or threaten headteachers into making any decisions.”
The fires were fanned further by an assertion that some of the cash sitting in school bank accounts had been fundraised – or not held in separate accounts.
But the council says this is not the case and insists all fundraised monies are not in scope for the clawback.
And a further irritant in the form of unclear messaging as to whether the cash would be used to partly plug a £9m blackhole in the SEND budget or whether it would be redistributed to SEND provision made things even worse.
Moves by opposition Tories and Greens to push the matter back to the Schools Forum to hold the clawback moves until the initially planned 2025 budget year failed, after the majority Lib Dem administration out voted the motion.
The Downs School is being asked for £490,000 back – and has written to the Department for Education wanting the Government to intervene, claiming the cash was from fundraising.
“This has been a sorry episode for the administration,” said Tory group leader Ross Mackinnon (Con, Bradfield).
“People have been reduced to tears, confidence has been shattered and angry statements issued by headteachers.
“It’s in chaos. All the psychologists have resigned… something is rotten and wrong.
“Several headteachers are now considering acadamisation because of this.
“But we have just seen the council double down.
“You have got this one badly wrong.
“Your own schools are going to sue you and huge damage has been done with the trust between schools and the authority.”
Other councillors spoke of the stress and strain put on school staff to come up with justifications on why they have money in their account, and why the council shouldn’t get its hands on it.
“Springfield School is in my ward,” said Joanne Stewart (Con, Tilehurst Birch Copse).
She presented a 61-page report which the school has sent in as additional justification for the funds being requested.
“That is a huge amount of work and I find it wholly disrespectful that this was given to officers but that has not even been acknowledged by the council.
“The funds being considered are for repairs, none of which would be prudent to do in flooding. Downpour in Tilehurst and it was flooded again.
“The careful planning of finances to cover these projects and carrying it over year on year since 2021 was done with the council’s knowledge.
“And to have it taken away from them seems to me to be morally unjust… pupils, parents and staff will suffer.”
Green councillor Carolynne Culver has The Downs School in her Ridgeway ward, It has £490,000 earmarked for clawback.
“They asked for evidence of fund raised cash that it must be in a different account,” she said.
“They couldn’t provide that evidence.
“Also, affected schools were prohibited in taking part in the July vote at the Schools Forum.
“The process has been unfair and the financial stability of The Downs School is threatened.
“It has destroyed trust and been disastrous for the reputation of this council.”
Council leader Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said he had been visiting schools concerned in the past weeks and conceded the review was ‘likely to be less than £2.8m’.
“We will do out best to help them. We are not pulling any money back that’s been committed or raised by parents. We will review amounts but we are not going to abandon the scheme.”
But that was scotched by Green leader David Marsh, saying even if the whole amount was clawed back there would still be a £6m hole in SEND finances.
