South Gloucestershire is the second lowest funded education authority in the country, and the council’s co-leader Ian Boulton said it would take the party’s new national government a decade to turn things around.
The Labour councillor’s comments came at a meeting of the full council as he clashed with Conservative Cllr Erica Williams.
Last month’s King’s Speech included Labour’s promise to end the VAT exemption on independent school fees to raise up to £1.6bn a year for 6,500 extra teachers in state primary and secondary schools.
Cllr Wiliams (Conservative, Bitton & Oldland Common) told the council meeting: “If, as is widely predicted, private schools across the country and here in South Gloucestershire have to close their doors due to the new VAT charges, the life chances of a significant number of children and young people will be negatively affected.
“Even with extra funding going into the state sector, private schools offer a leg-up for children from a range of social backgrounds. How is potentially hurting the life chances of our children a sensible way to improve the lives of people in South Gloucestershire?”
Cllr Boulton replied: “This move will bring in thousands of new teachers into the state sector, helping our schools. I would be really disappointed if anyone in this chamber turns down the idea of extra funding going into our education sector in South Gloucestershire. This is something to be celebrated and I’m absolutely delighted that it was in the King’s Speech.”
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporter