SCHOOLS in Lancashire are likely to loose more teachers because they can't afford to pay their wages.

According to the latest report by the county council, £6 million is expected to be spent on support staff by primary and secondary schools in the coming year.

But money for the staff is coming from the schools' reserves and, within the next three years, few will have any savings to draw on.

The report says: "The conclusion to be draw from this survey is that while in total schools are continuing to draw on reserves to support current expenditure, a number no longer have this option."

County councillor Stan Wright of the eduation sub-committee said: "Schools have been under-funded for two years now. We have not had any pay increase funding for four years until this year so schools have had to use their reserves. But you can't use your reserves forever."

He said that schools would be forced to use what reserves they had for another year in the hope that next year the government will fund education properly.

This week members of the county council's schools and quality development sub-committee met to consider the report and recommended drawing it to the attention of the finance sub-committee.

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