The opposition to controversial cuts to school budgets claimed its part in ‘victory’ after Monmouthshire County Council walked back on planned cuts to the school budget.

Proposals to clip the budget by two per cent were scrapped by Monmouthshire’s cabinet in its final budget proposals for 2021.

During the public consultation, teachers and parents had raised concerns after a local headmistress said the plans would devastate King Henry VIII’s school, with an annual cut of £75,000 stripping vital teaching support.

Elspeth Lewis, head at King Henry VIII school, said in a letter co-authored by the chair of governors Sian Phillips, the cuts would have caused serious issues in the day-to-day running of the school.

Published in this newspaper, the letter warned, “At King Henry VIII School, we have worked extremely hard over the past number of years to raise standards in what have been very challenging financial circumstances.

“It has been pleasing to see the growth and development of the school. A reduction of two per cent would mean that KHS would lose around £75,000 from our budget. If approved this would impact on our ability to maintain all aspects of our current core provision.”

Concerned parents met with Mrs Lewis and school staff at Abergavenny Library to discuss opposition to MCC’s plans.

Cllr Phil Murphy, cabinet member for resources, then said there was ‘no appetite’ for such cuts, but the provisional Welsh Government settlement had forced the council’s hand.

Last week, Councillor Murphy scrapped the two per cent cut, despite, he said, no expectation of an improved settlement from Welsh Government.

The fallout, in part led by Councillor Martyn Groucutt, forced the climbdown.

One councillor, who helped lead the opposition, rejoiced at news of the reversal. Councillor Martyn Groucutt, of Lansdown Ward, said:

“Headteachers, staff and parents will be delighted that the Conservative administration has come to its senses and withdrawn the threat of a two per cent cut to the budgets of our already impoverished schools.

‘‘With over half of our schools already in the red, including all four comprehensive schools across the county, to further cut their funds would have had a terrible effect.

“The impact would have been particularly severe in those schools where parents do not have the money to dig into their pockets to support the education of their children.

‘‘A good education should be a right for every child in Monmouthshire.”

Mr Groucutt continued: “In last week’s Chronicle the main headline story showed just what I mean, reporting that a local school had received a gift of state-of-the-art iPads to support children’s learning, donated  ‘after reading in this paper about controversial cuts to school budgets’.

“There are schools where parents just don’t have this sort of money and it would have been just plain wrong to make such children suffer the effects of yet further cuts.

“Years of Conservative government austerity has cut services to the bone, but hitting our children is the lowest of the low and we must be grateful that our local Conservatives have had the good grace and common sense to withdraw this savage cut to all local schools,” said Mr Groucutt.

A report on the rejigged budget announced:

“The council will need to respond quickly to the final settlement announcement and ahead of council on March 5 in order to ensure it has a robust and balanced set of budget proposals presented for approval.”

Cllr Murphy announced the budget for the disabled facilities grant would increase to £900,000 a year.

These changes would be partly offset by the proposed 4.95 per cent increase in council tax, stated a BBC Local Democracy report.