MP welcomes additional £500,000 for Cumbria's schools

South Lakes MP, Tim Farron, has welcomed the Government's announcement morning that an additional £500million has been allocated to address the shortage in pupil places being experienced by some local authorities, and reduce the level of prescription in schools.

The money, secured by Liberal Democrat Minister Sarah Teather, has to be shared between over 100 local authorities identified as having the most severe experiences of overcrowding in schools. The Department for Education has acknowledge the difficulty faced by many schools in Cumbria, who are either nearing capacity or who are already well oversubscribed and has therefore been allocated £481,471 in order to help Cumbria County Council to tackle this problem.

Local authorities across the country have been urged by the Government to "to target resources at managing the shortfalls in pupils places wherever they are most needed, and taking into account of the views of parents."

Speaking today Tim said: "This additional funding will potentially make a huge difference to Cumbria's schools to ease oversubscription and ensure that our children receive the high quality education they deserve.

"With 4 schools in our area that are approaching their capacity or that are oversubscribed, it is absolutely essential that Cumbria County Council pay attention to the South Lakes. I will continue to look out for our children by keeping the pressure on the Council to make sure our schools in South Lakeland get their fair share of this much needed cash boost."