Oxfordshire's education budget - over £100 per pupii - are being fought by the Labour Party in alliance with teaching and public sector unions The cuts arise from the Tory government's hefty cuts in the standard spending assessment of Oxfordshire County Council, leaving a £25m gap.
In addition to the threat to education, with the prospect of further increases in class sizes and the sacking of up to five teachers from some larger schools, social services face damaging cuts in domiciliary care, and the fire service and libraries are also under the axe. Oxfordshire MP Heseltine The County Council admits that numbers of school pupils, and numbers of frail elderly requiring community care are increasing, meaning that more rather than less cash is required. But is points out that it had to spend most of its reserves to avoid cuts in 1994, and faces cuts from central government.
School governors across the county are threatening to resign rather than implement the new cuts, which amount to 7.5% of the current budget. Some of them joined a 100strong lobby of the County Council before Christmas.
The council's Labour group has linked up with teaching and public service unions to mount a campaign against the cuts, launching with a January 4 public meeting.