BOLTON MP Tom Sackville sparked a storm by accusing the borough council of "filching" money from schools to spend on other activities.

The Junior Home Office minister was hitting back at claims by education bosses that nursery places for under fives could be scrapped because of a government cash squeeze.

Before Christmas the town's education committee was told that massive cuts were needed because of government penny pinching.

Bolton West MP Mr Sackville took up the issue with Junior Education minister Robin Squire who said it was difficult to understand why the council had expressed such alarm.

He said: "We recently announced plans to increase funds in 1996/97 by £878 million - an overall increase of 5pc.

"Bolton is set to benefit from an above average increase of 5.4pc amounting to a further £5 million in its education Standards Spending Assessment." Mr Sackville said: "Bolton has done very well out of this year's settlement.

"If Bolton Council wishes to filch money from schools to spend on other activities, that is up to them, but they would do so against the intentions of the government and I am sure the wishes of the Bolton public."

The accusations have enraged councillors.

"The idea that we are filching money from education is categorically not true," stormed council leader, Cllr Bob Howarth.

"The £5 million extra Mr Sackville says we are getting is not money.

"The SSA is a paper figure which the government say we should be spending to deliver a reasonable level of service - it doesn't mean they will give us that money.

"Bolton Council along with other Labour authorities spend millions more than the SSA figure. In 1995/96 we are spending £6 million more than the SSA."

Cllr Howarth said Bolton had been awarded a £1.9 million increase instead of the £5 million suggested by Mr Sackville.

He went on: "I can't believe Mr Sackville has fallen for this - unless of course he doesn't understand how local government finances work."

Education chairman Don Eastwood said: "He's just trying it on to make parents think we have the money but are not spending it . That's totally untrue.

"We spend over and above the amount we are told to, to protect services."

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