SCHOOLS in Monmouthshire have been told they will have to pick up the bill for a one per cent increase in teachers' wages after Monmouthshire Council failed to factor the rise into its annual budget.

Despite being warned in April that central government was likely to agree to the recommendation that teachers should be awarded a pay increase, MCC as the local education authority, failed to plan for the increase and was therefore unable to find the additional £160,000 required in its education budget.

Schools were informed by e-mail earlier this month that the pay award would not be centrally funded and told that the amount would have to be found from school funds.

"Due to the current reported overspend for the children and young people directorate we have been informed that there will be no additional funding allocated to schools and therefore these additional costs will need to be borne by the school," headteachers were told in the email.

Independent councillor for Trellech United, Debby Blakebrough said she was 'disappointed' that MCC were 'saddling schools with a hefty bill, ramming their own financial pressures onto the already tight school budgets' and added that the increase was likely to cost the area's secondary schools in the region of £20,000 to fund.

"MCC said they had not planned for the increase and therefore were unable to find the £160,000 in the LA budget. However MCC had received information in April that education minister Michael Gove was inclined to agree to this recommendation.

"Heads feel that this late notice and pressure on their already tight budgets was unfair and unreasonable," said Councillor Blakebrough

"They feel that it will place a great burden on their individual school budgets for example Monmouth Comprehensive will have to find £27,000 and Caldicot around £20,000,"?she added.

The decision to foist the increase onto school budgets comes as figures obtained by Councillor Blakebrough reveal that the 'interim management team' brought in by MCC in the wake of this year's unsatisfactory Estyn report cost more than £160,000

"As a result of the unsatisfactory Estyn report MCC 'panic bought' in an interim management team of three consultants covering the equivalent of two full time posts for eight months which cost a total of £161,000.

"That is just over £10,000 per month per post," said Councillor Blakebrough, who added that she was 'furious' at the manner in which the authority's administration was 'telling residents that finances were limited due to economic pressures while continuing to spend money without due prudence'.

"As a councillor I am well aware of the administration's complaints that they do not get enough money from the Welsh Government but when I see how money is wasted like this I worry that they are unable to prioritise money which is always limited.

"The administration of this council is telling residents that due to difficult times they will need to either increase council tax or reduce services. However this is an example of poor money management. I am also aware that other officers within the authority are being placed under great pressures to find further savings in preparation for the next budget," she said.

Councillor Blakebrough told the Chronicle that she had attempted to raise the issue at last week's meeting of the full MCC council at Usk, but had been told she could not raise it as an emergency question.

Speaking at the meeting Councillor Blakebrough said that she was concerned that to an outsider the move appeared to be a sign of an 'out of control' local authority budget which was pushing financial pressures down to front line services.

"I am mindful that one of the criticisms made by Estyn of the leadership and management of the local authority was its unsatisfactory support and challenge of schools.

"This action shows little support and to my mind the wrong type of challenge," said Councillor Blakebrough.

"Given that you were made aware in April of the possible one percent pay award could you share with us the reasons for not looking ahead with a contingency plan and for waiting over five months before telling heads that they would need to find this extra money from their own budgets, rather than engaging immediately into discussions to support them through these financially difficult times?" added Councillor Blakebrough.

A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council said, "When members agreed our budget in March 2013 there was no anticipation of a pay award for teachers. Late statements are never helpful and we agree with head teachers that announcement on pay awards should be made in a timely manner.

"The council's budget strategy increased school funding levels this year, whilst making reductions in most other areas. We do not have provision for further increase, which we suspect will be the same position as other councils across the country.

"On the totally unrelated point, the council did engage an interim leadership team for its education service this year pending permanent appointments. The team was funded from money available to fund the vacant full time posts that the interim team were covering. Any suggestion that the council should have foregone a leadership team for its education service is ludicrous.

"The council's record on financial management is exemplary. As the lowest funded council in Wales, we continually deliver balanced budgets with another unblemished report having just been received from the Wales Audit Office for financial year 2012/13.

"Whilst we will always aspire to increase funding levels to schools, with £23 million to find in savings over the coming years this is highly unlikely. We will work instead with schools to reduce their cost base and we will encourage them to work more closely together to achieve cost savings of their own."

Speaking to The Chronicle on Tuesday, Councillor Simon Howarth said that the council's indpendent members were extremely disappointed not to be allowed the emergency questions to be raised at the full council meeting last week.

"We are fed up with the little games been played - this is about the education of our children," he said.

" If this decision is implemented it will put quite a few already overly stretched schools into a deficit budget.

"There are no excuses for waiting five months before informing heads they need to slice there budget.

"Once again we call on the cabinet member to make a statement.

"If we are to move forward in the next few years we do need to change our approach and I do call upon the leader of the council to do the right thing and replace the cabinet member for education now," said Councillor Howarth.