"IT IS VERY easy for FACE to be non-party political" said Sue Lister in her opening speech to the conference "no political party has offered us anything".
150 delegates from around the country identified local elections in May as a major focus of campaigning.
"FACE pledges" are already being drawn up, calling upon candidates to publicly commit themselves to support governors setting needs related budgets or, where they have the power to do so, actually spending more on education.
This was debated in depth, debunking the myth that it is illegal for Governors to refuse to implement cuts-councils' response has been varied. In Sheffield governors who held out were given extra money while in Warwickshire governors have had their financial powers withdrawn.
Budgets
This requires the council to directly manage school budgetsan expensive and time consuming task which they will find increasingly difficult.
If a sufficiently large number of governing bodies set these budgets, there is a very real possibility that councils will not be able to cope and will be unable to implement cuts at school revel.
This could, in turn, put pressure on councils to set their own needs budget.
On April 20 there will be a major demonstration in Kenneth Clarke's constituency, Nottingham. It is vital that FACE groups and teacher unions start building for this now.
Although principally about education funding, other anti-cuts campaigns should use it as an opportunity to argue their case for more cash from central The Tories have shown themselves vulnerable over education underfunding. It would be an even more dangerous terrain for them if Labour were prepared to make firm spending commitments.
Success or failure in our battle will ultimately be determined by how effective FACE and other anti-cuts campaigns are at mobilising and focusing the anger and frustration felt by parents, governors, students and other service users.
Socialist Outlook 98 • March 2, 1996.
N FEBRUARY 17 over a decade, repreGK JOR THE SAUN