Fair funding for schools campaign group, f40, today announced that two Members of Parliament have agreed to take on the role of Vice Chairs.
Alex Chalk MP, who represents Cheltenham will be the new Conservative Vice Chair and former Minister, Vernon Coaker MP, who represents Gedling, will be its Labour Vice Chair.
The appointments follow the resignation of previous post-holders Graham Stuart MP (Conservative), who was made a Government Whip in Mrs May’s government and Nik Dakin MP (Labour) who became an Opposition Whip earlier this year.
F40 chair, Councillor Ivan Ould, who is also Lead Member for Children’s Services in Leicestershire, said: “I am delighted to welcome Alex and Vernon to the f40 Executive Committee. They both have a great track record of fighting for fairer funding for schools and for education in general. They will be a great asset to the group, especially as we approach the 2nd Stage consultation on fair funding, which we anticipate will be launched in December.
“Both Alex and Vernon represent constituencies where the local authority – Gloucestershire in Alex’s case and Nottinghamshire in Vernon’s – that are among the poorest funded in England. By joining f40, they are clearly demonstrating their determination to fight for a fairer deal for the children in schools in their constituencies, as well as across the country.”
Alex Chalk said: “It is an honour to have been appointed the Conservative Vice Chair of the f40 campaign group. Fair funding for schools is one of my main interests and I am determined to see that this government delivers on a new national fair funding formula as quickly as possible
“The existing funding model has no rationale and is clearly unfair. The inconsistencies in funding for individual schools with similar characteristics across the country are too great. A national funding formula allocating the same funding for all mainstream pupils nationally would resolve the problem of a child attracting very different levels of funding if they attend a school on one side of a local authority boundary rather than another.”
Vernon Coaker added: “f40 has become an extremely important voice in education and has the respect of the government, which has listened to the group’s arguments, recognised the injustice of the system and promised to work with the poorest funded local authorities to develop a new and fairer national funding formula. I am extremely keen to be part of that discussion and look forward to having a central role in the group and fighting in Parliament for fairer funding.”
Alex Chalk MP
- Elected to represent Cheltenham in 2015.
- A member of The Justice Select Committee
Vernon Coaker MP
- First elected to Parliament in May 1997.
- Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sep 2015 – Jun 2016
- Shadow Secretary of State for Defence Oct 2013 – Sep 2015
- Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland – Oct 2011 – Oct 2013
- Shadow Minister (Home Affairs) Oct 2010 – Oct 2011
- Shadow Minister (Education) (Schools) – May 2010 – Oct 2010
- Minister of State (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Schools and Learners) – Jun 2009 – May 2010
- Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Crime & Security) – Oct 2008 – Jun 2009
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Crime Reduction) – Jul 2007 – Oct 2008
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) – May 2006 – Jun 2007
- Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip) – May 2005 – May 2006
- Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)- Jun 2003 – May 2005
