There was anger today as the new education secretary announced a delay in the promised fairer school funding that Cambridgeshire MPs, parents and teachers have been fighting to obtain for years. 

Currently the funding shortfall leaves Cambridgeshire as one of the worst funded local education authorities in the country with local pupils receiving around £2000 less than the highest funded areas.

Today Education Secretary Justine Greening said: “I do not intend to proceed, for 2017-18, with proposals to create a new central schools block, allow local flexibility on the minimum funding guarantee or to ring-fence the schools block within the dedicated schools grant. These will be covered, for 2018-19 and beyond, in my response to the first stage consultation in the autumn.”

Daniel Zeichner MP said: “This is a blow to pupils and teachers. The fallout from Brexit continues and local children will suffer another year of chronic under funding. 

I can think of plenty of things the Government should backtrack on, but not the long-term change that will correct once and for all Cambridgeshire’s school under funding.”