§ 26. Major OWENasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state what are the reasons for putting the whole cost of the Colwyn Bay Roman Catholic school upon the ratepayers?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION(Mr. Ramsbotham)The duty of maintaining this school as a public elementary school is placed upon the county education authority by the Education Act, 1921.Byneglecting this duty the authority have failed to fulfil the conditions of grant from the Board of Education. Consequently, the sums recovered from the county education authority under the statutory procedure, to defray the cost of maintenance, are necessarily charged by the authority wholly on the rates. The expenses properly falling on the managers of the school in respect of the school building are, of course, defrayed by them out of their own resources.
§ Major OWENIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there has been great dissatisfaction in the county as a result of the inquiry held some time ago, and of the approval given to this school; and is it not possible to make some arrangement whereby a compromise can be arrived at?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe duty of maintaining the school lies with the local authority, and, as the local authority is not prepared to do this, the Board have no alternative but to make a reduction from the grant for the maintenance of the school.