Governors resign over school debt

The secondary school is due to become an academy next year

A row over the financial running of a school in West Sussex has led to the resignation of all its governors.

Boundstone Community College has a budget deficit of more than £800,000 and has been accused of mishandling its finances by West Sussex County Council.

The debts are due to be passed over to the council when the school becomes an academy next September.

But the governors were angered when the council said it would take over running the finances from the end of this term.

A letter from the county council to the governing body of the secondary school said it had become concerned with the increasing level of debt.

'Smooth transition'

It said despite a series of meetings with education chiefs, it was not confident the budgets could be brought back into line without further help.

When Boundstone Community College becomes an academy next year, any debts will become the responsibility of the council, which has claimed if it is forced to make up the cash it will mean less money for other schools.

The governors expressed anger at the council's decision, insisting they had plans in place to manage the situation.

A statement from the West Sussex County Council said it was disappointed the governors had decided to step down, but its main concern was to reduce the deficit "without having an impact on the teaching of current students and the delivery of the curriculum".

"This course of action is also intended to underpin the smooth transition of Boundstone to academy status," the statement added.

The council said appropriate action would be taken to address the vacancies on the governing body.