SCHOOL bosses in East Yorkshire say staffing numbers could be cut without extra Government funding.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said a delay in the introduction of a new funding formula for schools across the country will lead to a shortfall of up to £5 million this year.

Cllr Stephen Parnaby council leader, and Cllr Julie Abraham, who holds the portfolio for education, have written to Education Secretary Justine Greening to plead for interim funding in 2017/18 before the changes are introduced.

School pupils in East Yorkshire are currently the lowest-funded in the country, with the council allocated £5,066 per pupil in 2016/17, compared to the highest funded local authority, Hackney, which receives £8,906 per pupil.

Cllr Abraham said: “An invitation has been extended to the Secretary of State to come to the East Riding to see the work that is going on in East Riding schools.

“Our schools are really stepping up to the mark in spite of funding levels and have recorded excellent outcomes this summer, including our best ever A-level and GCSE results. It is important that we protect their ability to maintain that high standard.”

In their letter to Justine Greening, Cllrs Parnaby and Abraham said the £5m overspend will mean nine of its 11 secondary schools will face a budget deficit, despite already having made significant savings, and could be forced to start reducing staff numbers.

The letter said: “Many schools have already made significant savings and are continuing in their search for further savings and it is now difficult to see how further savings can be achieved without it affecting the outcomes of pupils.”

Cllr Parnaby said staffing decisions will be made at the end of this year for the start of next academic year, and suggested use of the extra £500million announced by the chancellor last autumn. In 2015/16, ERYC received an additional £1.5m from the DoE to bring it up to minimum funding level, but costs have exceeded that amount by more than £2million.