GOVERNORS from 20 primary schools in north east Essex have joined forces to fight for more funding.

They say more cash for schools is needed urgently to prevent further redundancies and other cuts.

The governors were joined by Colchester MP Will Quince, who pledged to help by rallying support among other Essex MPs to lobby the Government for more funding for schools.

At a meeting at Gosbecks Primary School in Colchester, governors shared stories about how schools are struggling to make ends meet, as increases in costs including staffing,

National Insurance and pension contributions, have outstripped any rises in funding.

Schools say they are making learning support assistants redundant, not replacing staff, mothballing new classrooms because they cannot afford new teachers and putting off maintenance projects.

Governors will be asking parents to sign a petition set up by Mr Quince calling for the Government to give schools more money and provide them with a three year funding settlement to allow them to plan ahead more effectively.

The Conservative MP will then present the petition to Parliament.

He also promised to ask neighbouring MPs, including Harwich and North Essex Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin and Witham MP Priti Patel to support schools in their constituencies with similar petitions.

A campaign has also been set up on Facebook, called Funding for Schools, with the aim of building support among parents and the public and to put pressure on the Government.

Linda Robinson, chairman of governors at St Michael’s Primary School, Colchester, and a National Leader of Governance, said: “Governors are taking a stand. Unless something changes imminently, children in schools, especially the most vulnerable, will be increasingly affected because schools simply do not have enough money.

“For so many years, schools have gone above and beyond to do their best for their children but we’ve reached a point where they are pulled so tight there’s nothing more they can do and something’s going to give.

“We’ve heard about redundancies, about putting off refurbishment work, about teachers making up for shortfall in other vital services including mental health and social care but we are now at breaking point.”

To find the campaign online visit Facebook and search for Funding for Schools.