FOUR Blaenau Gwent schools are in financial trouble a council report has revealed.

School balances were brought up at a meeting of of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Corporate and Performance scrutiny committee on Tuesday, September 3.

At the meeting councillors received a report on how the 2023/2024 revenue budget stood at the end of the financial year on March 31 which included a section on school finances.

The report showed that school balances had dropped from £4.821 million at the end of the 2022/2023 financial year to £1.348 million at the end of the 2023/2024 financial year.

Chief officer for resources Rhian Hayden said: “We are highlighting a significant reduction in school balances throughout the year.

“The overall level of has reduced by nearly £3.5 million, with four schools currently in a deficit position as of March 31.

“We are supporting schools to manage their financial position and are in the process of helping them develop deficit reduction plans.”

The four schools with deficits have not been identified in the report.

Cllr John Hill of the opposition Independent group said: “It’s quite alarming to see school balances just crashing down particularly in the light that education in Blaenau Gwent has been improving.

“My worry is this means a reduction in teachers and that will just knock us back to where we were.

“We can save money but not at the expense of teachers.”

Ms Hayden pointed out that there were no senior staff members from the Education department at the meeting to be able to answer Cllr Hill’s concerns.

Ms Hayden said: “No one at the council wants to see reduction in the level of opportunities given to our children, but it is a balancing act with the money we have available.

“The education team and I will be working closely with each of the schools to determine a way forward.

She added that councillors would be updated on the work taking place with the schools with deficits.

Blaenau Gwent has a total of 25 schools, and this is made up of 19 primary schools, two secondary schools, two special schools and two all through schools from the ages of three to 16.

The report shows that:

Primary school balances have a dropped from £2.993million to £1.668 million.

Secondary school balances have fallen from, £675,000 to £37,000.

All through schools balances have dropped from £664,000 to a deficit of £451,000,

Special schools have dropped from £489,000 to £94,000.