2
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
That under a Block Grant and with freedom to charge what fees thought fit the cost to Government might be somewhat reduced. See Para. 5 of (2).
That the present regulations of claiming for grants for building repairs and new equipment whereby estimates and prices have to be submitted in advance and approved by the P.W.D. are unduly oppressive.
That minor regulations made by Government under its present powers of control conflict with desirable elasticity of school management.
Nearly all the five points above are answered in two letters attached (4) from the Managers of the two L.M.S. Grant Schools, and (5) from the nine Catholic Grant Schools. The letters show that these 11 of the 16 Grant Schools do not desire to change from the present Grant System to any Block Grant System.
The suggestion of a radical revision of the Code along the lines of a Block Grant was discussed at a meeting of the Grant Schools Council on 7.5.48 and among other resolutions passed was a resolution passed by a large majority in favour of retaining the present Code with the recently suggested minor amendments. See (6) attached.
The same question as to whether or not any Block Grant System or radical revision of the present Grant Code was desirable was then put to the Board of Education, and after full discussion the following motion was approved:-
"In the opinion of this Board there should be no
change in the structure of the existing Code apart from minor amendments that may be necessary to effect smoother working
•
The Board also passed a motion as follows:-
"It is the opinion of this Board that it is not
desirable to raise fees in Government Schools".
The argument in favour of a Block Grant was still pursued by Bishop Hall in his letter (3) which stressed again his desire for less grant and more freedom from financial control and made rough suggestions for calculating a' Block Grant'.
Against the introduction of any Block Grant System or radical revision of the present Code are the following points:-
1.
2.
Under the present Code all the Grant Schools are flourishing. Their buildings, staff, and standard of education provided are in all cases better than pre-war and this in a difficult two years rehabilitation period and with a new Code still having rough edges to be smoothed. This being so, no radical change should be considered unless there are very strong reasons indeed to warrant it.
A Block Grant or Direct Grant and freedom from financial control should only be given where the school itself makes some financial contribution towards expenditure. In the present Grant Schools the whole cost of running the schools is met from grant and students fees therefore any extravagant or uneconomic expenditure falls directly on public funds or parents purses, both of which Government has a duty to safeguard.