Demographic change now means fewer children are born in Shropshire annually as younger families are unable to afford housing. Meanwhile the proportion of retired people rises each year.
This double whammy is a financial time bomb for Shropshire's education service.
So the County Council is consulting on how best to preserve local provision and viable quality of education in our rural schools. They propose changing the closure criteria from a minimum of 20 pupils to a minimum of four classes, other than in remote rural areas where no child should travel more than six miles to school. This is causing anxiety amongst parents, teachers and governors in village schools.
Shropshire already gets less money from central government for our schools - we are 5th from bottom in funding of all local education authorities in England - yet cost of providing education is often higher in rural areas.
I am lobbying Ministers for a fairer funding allocation. Shropshire gets £3,551 per pupil, only 91% of the average of £3,880 in England.
The County Council have committed to no school closure without full local consultation. There is a duty on the LEA to preserve the proportion of Church schools to secular schools. But parental choice must also be a key criterion when determining this new policy.
I will fight for local schools in the Ludlow constituency.
This policy could threaten local village schools. Let the County Council know what you think before 9th November at: www.shropshire.gov.uk/youngpeople.nsf. Make your voice heard before it is too late.
