THERE could be teacher redundancies in Monmouthshire if the county council brings in their new funding formula for schools, warned a leading opposition member.

Cllr Mike Smith, chairman of lifelong learning select committee issued the warning at last week's cabinet when it was revealed that under the new formula half the county's schools will get less money.

He said: "We should ask officers to ease the passage of the new funding formula, because our information is that 2006 school budgets are even worse, and we are looking at 50 percent with a deficit budget, or even more than that.

"We must seriously look at how much we give otherwise every school in this county will have a deficit budget, and I would hate to see Monmouthshire as the first authority to make teachers redundant."

He praised officers like Steve Hughes and Paula Ham who had done an enormous amount of work on the funding formula, which he called "number crunching".

The council's deputy leader Cllr Graham Down said the existing formula was clearly out of date and needs updating, a fact endorsed by their auditors and others.

He warned that it was possible the figures were inaccurate because it was some time since their proposals had been first published. Cllr Ashley Thomas said many councillors had been lobbied about the new formula by the four secondary schools.

Cllr Verona Nelmes said anomalies existed in the formula when you look closely at the figures and she highlighted the case at Govilon Primary School, where she is a governor.

She said: "They have to pay nearly £1,000 a year for gas for the kitchen, which should not come from their budget. The formula has a negative effect on small schools.

"Money is going to schools which have high balances in reserve and Rogiet, which has accrued £91,000 is an example. Many schools have used their balances to fund support staff."

Councillor Nelmes said she is calling in the cabinet decision to change the schools' funding formula. This means it will be discussed by the select committee which can either endorse the decision or send it back. They can also ask for it to be debated by the full council.