By Mark Kenny, via email
With the beginning of the new financial year, it has now become clear that school sport in Merton is likely to be much reduced in the future thanks to the Government axing funding to the Merton Schools Sport Partnership (MSSP).
For the Partnership to survive in a reduced form, Merton Primary schools have been invited to contribute £1000 from their own budgets.
These budgets have not been increased so, with inflation, have been reduced in real terms.
Schools will also have to find the money for supply teachers previously funded for up to twelve days by The Partnership.
So we have a situation where schools will now have to pay around £3,500 for a scheme that has been free for the last seven years.
It has also been a great success and I am writing as a voluntary sports coach in a local Merton school so think I know more than the various Conservative politicians who have replied to my letters.
None of them have come with coherent, sensible reasons for wrecking such a popular and successful scheme.
I also doubt whether any have attended any MSSP events. Do they care about state school sport ?
Send your letter to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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