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# Lichfield Lib Dem councillor accuses Tories of employing “smoke and mirrors” over school funding
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/lichfield-lib-dem-councillor-accuses-tories-of-employing-smoke-and-mirrors-over-school-funding/
- Published: 2017-07-12T09:19:32.000Z
- Updated: 2017-07-12T09:19:32.000Z
- Description: The Conservatives have been accused of using “smoke and mirrors” after claims schools in Lichfield and Burntwood would not suffer funding cuts.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Education, Politics, News

The Conservatives have been accused of using “smoke and mirrors” after claims schools in Lichfield and Burntwood would not suffer funding cuts.

[![Paul Ray and Michael Fabricant](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/rayandfab-copy.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2017/07/12/lichfield-lib-dem-councillor-accuses-tories-of-employing-smoke-and-mirrors-over-school-funding/rayandfab-copy/)

Paul Ray and Michael Fabricant

Last week saw Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said he was pleased to see the Government listening to his concerns.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb had [told the House of Commons funding would be protected](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2017/07/04/minister-insists-school-funding-will-not-be-cut-across-lichfield-and-burntwood/).

“No school will see a cut in per-pupil funding under this Government,” he said.

But Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Ray – who stood for the party in the General Election – said the figures did not tell the whole story.

“Michael Fabricant has claimed that there will be no funding cuts for our local schools – and no per pupil funding cuts. Before the election Lichfield and Burntwood schools were facing cuts of between 6% and 18%.

“His statement looks good on the face of it, but it’s all smoke and mirrors.

“Only this week his government announced that it will not increase teachers’ pay above 1% each year. That is not fair on teachers or sustainable for our schools.

“So the Conservatives are not funding schools adequately.”