HUNDREDS of parents have signed a petition lobbying the Government to give schools in Essex more funding.

Colchester MP Will Quince has set up the petition calling for his Conservative colleagues in Government to give more financial support to schools.

He is also asking for them to provide a three year funding settlement to schools to allow them to plan ahead more effectively.

More than 20 primary schools across north east Essex joined forces to help the fight and are urging parents to sign the petition.

Schools say they do not have enough money to make ends meet and while the Government claims schools are getting more funding, headteachers argue that does not include money for higher pension payments and the like.

As a result, they say they are having to make learning support assistants redundant, are not replacing staff, are mothballing new classrooms because they cannot afford new teachers and are putting off maintenance projects.

So far more than 600 people have signed the petition, which is backed by governors from schools across Essex.

Tory MP Mr Quince had been hoping to present the petition to Parliament himself.

But he said it was no longer possible after he took on a new junior minister role at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr Quince said: “We had 741 signatories overall, however 62 were invalid (no signature provided, and not in the House of Commons approved form), meaning we have 679 valid signatures for presentation.

“It has become a little more complicated since I joined the Government as a minister as I can no longer present the petition myself.

“I am looking into other options which are that I present it but not formally in the Commons or another MP presents it on my behalf.”

Governors at the 20 schools are also building their own campaign in a bid to boost funding.

READ MORE: 'Schools at breaking point...we need more cash urgently’

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.

To find it online visit Facebook and search for Funding for Schools.