A LEADING Worcestershire politician has admitted that "not all" of the county's schools can expect to benefit from a long-awaited funding shake-up.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, the cabinet member for children and families at Worcestershire County Council, insists there will be "more winners than losers" despite acknowledging it may not end up entirely positive.

As the Worcester News revealed in December, schools across the county have been offered an extra £9 million by 2019 as a first step towards a new National Funding Formula.

Education Secretary Justine Greening has promised to "fully deliver" a final deal by 2020, with the interim proposal on top of a £6 million sweetener delivered last year.

Cllr Bayliss has defended the Government, saying he believes it will deliver on its promises, but he says the county cannot expect benefits everywhere.

"This Government has made the first significant improvement in the funding formula - an extra £6 million was invested in Worcestershire's schools last year as a 'down payment' towards equalising it," he said.

"There will be winners and losers across the country - obviously when you re-adjust a formula from within an existing budget, if you rejig that formula, there will be places that go up and places that go down."

He added: "I think most schools in Worcestershire will benefit, not all, but most."

He made his remarks during a full council meeting, where he took a swipe at the old Labour Government for failing to deliver a better deal for 13 years.

He also said nearby Birmingham has "undoubtedly benefitted from hundreds, if not thousands extra per-year, per-child", saying the magnitude of difference compared to Worcestershire was clearly unfair.

During the debate Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "We've all known in this chamber for years that our schools are underfunded."

Worcester News:

Lib Dem group leader Councillor Liz Tucker added: "I'm concerned that some schools face a reduction in real terms, taking into account inflation and staff pay levels."

The two-year interim funding offer revealed last month will see every Worcester secondary school gain money, although none of them will get an uplift of more than three per cent in either 2018 or 2019 after ministers capped it.

In 2018 the typical school in Worcestershire will get an extra 2.2 per cent.

The deal means Worcestershire's school funding pot would rise from £349 million to £358 million over that period.

Worcestershire will be among 101 local authority areas to get more money under the initial changes while 49 will suffer reductions, if the interim proposals are settled on after the current consultation which runs until March.

The basic per-pupil funding was £4,231 on average in Worcestershire last year compared to £5,218 in Birmingham, a startling £987 difference.