MOST of Wirral’s local authority schools will next year be operating at a financial deficit, it has been claimed.

The statistic has come from a letter written on behalf of the Wirral Schools Forum to the Government, with the local body calling for 'urgent' attention to the matter.

According to the letter, written to Damian Hinds, Secretary of State for Education, six out of 10 maintained schools in Wirral 'will be operating at a financial deficit' – running at a loss – by 2019/20.

The letter, which is to be considered by the Schools Forum at its meeting on Thursday, called for more funding to be allocated to the area’s schools.

It said: “I am writing to you on behalf of all schools in Wirral to express our growing concern at the impact funding reductions are having on our ability to provide good education to our young people.

“Since 2011 and the introduction of ‘flat cash’ budgets schools all over the UK have found it increasingly difficult to provide the services which children and young people need and deserve.”

The letter described the situation is Wirral as 'particularly acute', with an increasing number of schools set to spend more money than they have coming in.

It added that it was 'impossible' to imagine a situation where the financial position would not impact on standards of education in Wirral, before listing a number of positive statistics about schools and exam results in the borough.

They include that nearly 90% of early years providers are 'good or outstanding', 70% of children achieve a good level of development at foundation stage and that 90% of schools are 'good or outstanding.'

It added that there have been improvements at Key Stage Two, and performances in GCSEs are “good overall”.

The letter, signed by Adrian Whiteley, chair of the forum, finished: “The Schools Forum asks you to urgently address the current funding deficit in schools to safeguard education provision in the future.”

At Thursday’s meeting, an update will also be given to members that will reveal how the 2018-19 schools budget has reduced overall from £259.1m to £171.5m as a result of “academy recoupment adjustments”.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Thanks to our reforms and the hard work of teachers 1.9m more pupils are in good or outstanding schools than in 2010.

"As a result of our fairer formula, by 2020, core a Department funding will rise to a record £43.5bn – the highest ever and 50% more per pupil in real terms than in 2000.

“No school in the Wirral will attract less funding through the formula – in fact, schools in the area will attract an increase in funding of 2.4%, equivalent to over £4.5m – when the formula is implemented in full.”