THE claim by Andrew Temple that the �604 per pupil funding gap between England and Wales is entirely due to the way that the Welsh Government is funded is absurd (School Criticism Was Unfair, March 14).
The fact is that this funding gap has been growing since 2003, whereas according to the Holtham report the shortfall in spending only started to emerge around 2006.
The failure to fund our schools properly is directly attributable to spending decisions by two successive Welsh Governments and the various Education Ministers must take their share of the blame for that.
Mr Temple is also wrong to claim that Swansea Council cut school funding by �5 million in the current financial year. The reduction was in fact �567,000.
Most of this was accounted for by the increase of �1.3 million for Special Educational Needs.
It is not true that the money was diverted to social services though it is the case that investment in children increased from �182 million to �185 million.
No doubt Mr Temple will be pleased to note that this year Swansea Council has put �1.2 million extra into schools over and above what the Welsh Government requires of them, leading to a �400,000 increase overall.
That is a contrast to other councils that are cutting the fund available to schools in cash terms. Swansea's Lib Dem-led Council has also created an additional �400,000 fund to help children with reading and writing.
Education is a priority for the council administration.
I wish I could say the same about the Labour-Plaid Cymru One Wales Government.
Councillor Peter Black AM
Welsh Liberal Democrats
Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru
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