What support will the Welsh Government provide to local authorities and schools after a report by NAHT Cymru said that 53 per cent of Welsh school leaders anticipate a budget shortfall this academic year, up from 29 per cent last year?
We recognise that the cost-of-living crisis is putting schools and local authorities under significant pressure, and that there are no easy answers to resolving the issues being faced. However, it is important to note that 53% of the 416 NAHT Cymru members surveyed, not 53% of all school leaders across Wales, predict a deficit budget this academic year.
Decisions on the level of funding available to schools and to other services are made by each authority as part of their overall budget and council tax setting. This is in line with the Welsh Government’s policy that local authorities are best placed to judge local needs and circumstances and to fund schools accordingly. Despite significant budget pressures we have continued to prioritise public services, with an increase to local government funding of 3.3% in 2024-25, building on previous increases of 9.4% in 2022-23 and 7.9% in 2023-24.
In addition, grant funding that goes to schools has been prioritised. For 2024-25 the amalgamation of pre-16 local authority education grants provides the same level of funding against similar grants provided to local authorities in 2023-24; this is also a 3.2% rise against the 2024-25 indicative budget for those same grants.