SCHOOLS budgets in Caerphilly county borough should be given priority should any extra funding be forthcoming from the Welsh Government, say councillors.

At the moment there is a proposed two per cent cut to budgets delegated to schools - but Caerphilly County Borough Council’s education scrutiny committee has unanimously agreed to ask the council's cabinet to prioritise education should more money be made available.

The Welsh Government is expected to announce its local government financial settlement for 2020/21 next Monday, December 16.

Normally this takes place earlier in the year, but the uncertainty of Brexit and the upcoming General Election  led to a delay in the decision making process.

Speaking at an education scrutiny committee meeting, Cllr Wynne David said that if the council receives more money than expected from the Welsh Government, the priority should be to minimise the impact on budgets delegated to schools.

He said: “I don’t want to move to withdraw the two per cent reduction in school budgets at this point in time.

“Both major parties have pledged to put a substantial amount into education.

“If that money comes to us, I propose this committee asks cabinet to give priority to reducing or getting rid of this two per cent (reduction).”

The proposal received unanimous support from the committee and was backed by the new leader of the council and cabinet member for education Cllr Philippa Marsden.

She said: “Cabinet would be pleased.

“I would echo that proposal.”

The proposal for a two per cent reduction in budgets delegated to schools would total more than £2.112 million across the county borough.

It consists of the individual schools budget (£2m), a reduction of £30,000 in the former key stage two grant, and a reduction of £22,000 in the secondary additional funding budget.

The proposal will be taken back to cabinet in the coming months.