1: An extra £20million for the "Pupil Deprivation Grant".
There can be no doubt that will be the Welsh Libdems main thrust in the next few months. La Pasionaria makes this on Subordinate Central (When is she going to realise the photo here just makes her look smug)? claiming that.
"We have agreed to support the 2012-2013 budget on the basis that we will be introducing a Welsh Pupil Premium. This means that from April 2012, every child in Wales on free schools meals will recieve an extra £450 of funding – no matter where they live, or what school they go to. This is a total Pupil Premium spending of £32 million, of which £20 million is brand new money for the education budge".
At first this looks at impressive. However one wonders how much of the £32 million will go on implementing the project.
But the main problem, is that poor pupils education is largely affected outside the school, where their parents may have had a negative experience of schooling and generation after generation are caught in a cycle of ppr educational achivement .
What we need to do is bring these Parents into the School Culture and . It may be an interesting project to instead of looking at accademic results to look at things like the Parents past experiance and indeed the strength of the P.T.A..There are good teachers in so called failing schools who work their socks off and they should no be held responsible for the failings of society.
The second part cover some of the same ground .
2: A £38.9million economic stimulus package over the next two years to be spent on capital :investment in schools, skills, and an increase in funding for the Arbed energy efficiency scheme.
but it is the third part of the agreement. that intrests me
3: Any consequentials resulting from the UK Government's Autumn Statement will be discussed between the two leaders.The Third part of the agreement seem to commit Labour LibDems to a further pact.
This despite La Pasionaria's claim that
But let me be clear, this is purely an agreement about the budget for next year. With Labour lacking the ‘comfortable majority’ they predicted before the election, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have had the opportunity to influence the direction of our country. I am proud we have done this in such a positive way.
Do the LibDems believe that they can have power with responsibility ?
Well yes.But then hey always do
They can claim they secured money for education but they do not have to answer questions as Welsh Government Ministers in the Assembly will of where it coming from? They do not have to say from where the £20Million has been diverted to their "Pupil Premium" .
If they want to be in government then enter into a formal pact or coalition and take responsibility for this.
The Welsh Assembly can only the £14.5bn it receives from central government and cannot raise any more through its own tax levy And with the political parties (all of them) mindful that spending money on Education and the NHS and constantly call for more money for both.
But they often seem to believe in Government that Money can be diverted from one to another and in opposition criticize from where to where doesn't matter.
In the meantime there's no money to stimulate the Welsh economy by supporting the infrastructure and helping business in Wales
In the meantime there's no money to stimulate the Welsh economy by supporting the infrastructure and helping business in Wales
When you are preparing your electoral leaflets then parading £20 million you've secured for education looks good and for opposition parties a £20 million shortfall in the NHS budget looks equally good.
Expect this for next May council elections.
We need a Welsh Government of vision and who don't look at just the NHS (Peter? and Education(Paul?) as the only important responsibility they have and opposition parties must act responsibly when calling for reform and more money for these and look beyond the two and act responsibly Let us look at the future of Welsh economy as well.
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