SCHOOLS are facing a grim year with lower than expected budgets, it has been claimed.

In most cases, the cash they receive will barely buy them a new teacher, education chiefs were told.

Councillor Janet Morgan told a meeting to discuss the county's multi-million pound education budget that Oxfordshire County Council had been promised £7m extra for schools over the next 12 months but it had turned out to be around £2m.

She said: "While we have to agree the situation is improving, it's still grim.

"They may end up with only a 1.3 per cent rise or less. Schools were expecting much more this year and I'm angry that the Government has cooked the figures.

"I'm also a strong believer that schools know what's best for them, yet all the money will be spent on projects the Government has highlighted. Why can't they have a say in where the money should go?"

The council's chief education officer, Graham Badman, said the council had taken more than £40m out of the education budget since 1990.

He said: "When I ask for more money from the Government it is not for the education department or myself, it is for the good of education in this county." Budget groups will now further discuss how money should be spent before a final decision is reached at a meeting on February 8.

Story date: January 28, 2000

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