The council is set to support schools in the borough by giving £1m to existing educational establishments.

Budget plans from Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) detailed the proposals after schools’ representatives complained about unfair funding.

At a meeting of Bracknell councillors, on Thursday, January 24, elected members questioned why existing schools were set to receive the extra money.

Council treasurer Stuart McKellar said: “We have been opening a large number of schools across the borough in the last two to three years and new schools are not funded in the same way as existing schools.

“(BFC’s) Schools Forum raised the issue that they feel they aren’t being treated in excess of what they believe is fair.

“They specifically asked if the executive member was able to support the existing schools and this is how the executive has responded.

“It will be allocated to schools and it will be added to the amount available to the schools’ funding.

“Rather than all the money going to new schools, more will be allocated to existing schools.”

Councillor Mary Temperton added: “It is desperately needed to support schools that are losing out. It is a real cry from the heart from the existing schools.”

The News reported last summer that schools’ representatives were worried they would be indirectly subsidising new schools in the borough after it emerged council officials had produced inaccurate forecasts predicting the number of places needed at Bracknell schools.

As of June 2018, there was a surplus of 157 primary school places in Bracknell after officers overestimated the number of places needed by 10 per cent, meaning any available money could be split across a greater number of schools.

Kings Academy Binfield provided 120 places in September 2018.

Amen Corner North primary school will open in September 2019, while two other primary schools were tipped to launch by 2022 – opening up a further 840 places combined.

A report recommended that councillors “agree that up to £1m of additional funding for schools be made available from the council over the next 4 years to help mitigate the financial impact of new schools.”

The council’s overview and scrutiny panel agreed to send the recommendations to the authority’s top branch after councillors also questioned McKellar about how the treasury determined fee increases.