SCHOOLS across Kirklees could lose thousands of pounds under new Government plans to claw back cash surpluses, it was claimed today.

Secondary schools face the largest losses under the proposals, which could see them returning 5% of money which they had surplus in March this year, to the council.

Kirklees Liberal Democrat Dem councillors today severely criticised the move, which they claim could lead to a £780,000 tax on local schools.

They say that under the new plans schools would be forced to return cash amounts.

They say Colne Valley High School could lose £20,963, Batley Boys High £20,861, Royds Hall High at Paddock £34,331, Shelley High School and Sixth Form Centre £36,939, Earlsheaton High in Dewsbury £26,067 and St John Fisher Catholic High at Dewsbury £22,958.

Primary schools said to be in the firing line include Birkby Junior (£19,460), Ashbrow (£10,135), Lowerhouses (£16,959), Rawthorpe (£14,802) and Dryclough (£10,330).

Cllr Kath Pinnock, leader of Kirklees Liberal Democrats, said “Schools have already been awarded their budgets and have made plans accordingly.

“It is completely unfair of the Government to suddenly announce that money could be taken away again. Even special schools would not be exempt from this Government raid on their coffers.

“Some local schools in the area stand to lose tens of thousands of pounds.

“This is crazy; schools need to be able to budget securely. Any clawback of funds will encourage schools to spend their money as quickly as they can, to avoid any chance of budgets being raided again in future.

“The plan penalises schools who are either saving funds for a big capital project or who have built up a surplus in anticipation of increased costs in future years.

“I am calling on the Government to scrap the proposal immediately and allow local schools to retain the funding they were originally awarded.”

The proposal is in a package of measures that are currently the subject of consultation which runs until next Friday.

Warwick Firmin, Kirklees Council’s school funding strategy manager, said: “We understand the Government intends to claw back 5% of schools' balances at the end of every financial year. Instead of sitting in the bank this money will be redistributed locally to be used for children in schools, as agreed with headteachers through the Schools' Forum.

“The Government planned to start in 2008-09 by clawing back the balances from the 2006-07 financial year, but the weight of petitions they have received is causing them to rethink when to start.”