There was some additional funding for Northern Ireland announced via yesterday’s budget, some £26million, but the Secretary of State steered it carefully away [invested it on our behalf – Ed] into his previously announced 2-year Children and Young People’s Fund – making it now a £87million fund, with an additional £14.6million available to community and voluntary groups. Just as well there’s no pressure on other education services then.. I mean it’s not as if two Education and Library Boards are refusing to implement cuts in their budgets of £6.6million and £4.3million. Those cuts are in response to repeated over-spends in previous years, but it’s difficult to see the logic in pressing ahead with cuts while diverting more cash into a one-off untested scheme. Update Despite the earlier report, still online, The South Eastern Education and Library Board has agreed to a budget including £4.3million in cuts – “The vote was split between councillors – who voted to reject the budget – and non-elected representatives”
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