HUNDREDS of parents across east Cheshire are expected to attend an event calling for fairer funding for the borough’s schools.

The event – which will also include Stockport schools and parents – will highlight the issue of the boroughs’ historically low school funding, which is set to receive a further blow if current National Funding Formula proposals go ahead.

With Cheshire East Council set to become the worst-funded borough in the country, a campaign group made up of parents has organised a ‘Question Time’-style meeting at Poynton High School on Friday, March 10 between 5pm and 6.30pm.

Among those set to attend are MPs David Rutley and William Wragg, Louise Regan of the National Union of Teachers, Rob Kelsall of the National Association of Headteachers and representatives from schools across the borough.

Victoria Andersson, of east Cheshire’s ‘Fair Funding’ campaign group, said: “Cheshire and Stockport have been historically poorly funded and the new funding formula does nothing to address the postcode lottery that exists across the country.

“The government seems to be saying that our children are worth less than those in other, similar, areas and that’s unacceptable.”

Another parent, Kate Lindley, called the proposals ‘perverse’ adding: “I’m seriously worried about the new formula. Our children’s education will suffer if these proposals go ahead.”

In the new proposed formula a larger weighting has been placed on factors including deprivation and prior attainment than on the basic ‘per pupil’ funding.

The Government’s formal consultation runs until March 22 on gov.uk.

To attend Friday's event, email info@phs.cheshire.sch.uk and add any questions you may want to ask.

Eight days later, on Saturday, March 18, around 1,000 protestors are expected to march from Sandbach Boys School to Cheshire East Council headquarters at Westfields to act against the proposed plans.

A national petition on the matter has currently reached more than 19,000 signatures.

Find the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.