Julian Knight, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Solihull, is leading a new campaign to secure better funding for schools in the borough, and backing Solihull Council's call for fairer pupil funding.
At present, Solihull is the fourth lowest funded borough in England and Wales, with just £4188 paid by central government per year per pupil. By contrast, Birmingham is allotted around £5218 per year per pupil.
"I understand why Birmingham schools get more because of some of the social problems in the city, however the current funding formula isn't fair when some 7000 pupils come from Birmingham to schools in Solihull but we don't get paid the Birmingham rate for them. This is plain wrong, and Solihull schools are missing out on £7m per year in funding as a result."
Councillor Joe Tildesley has placed a motion before council for December 2 calling for a new funding arrangement for Solihull schools, whereby they should be getting £5218 per year for each pupil taken from Birmingham rather than the lower Solihull rate of £4188.
Julian not only supports the motion but wants to put the case for fairer funding for Solihull school to the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan.
"We are not asking for equality of funding with Birmingham, only that pupils coming from our bigger neighbour bring with them £5218 each and not £4188. This about fairness. Sometimes it feels in Solihull that we are penalised for being a successful, enterprising town. I will take this campaign to the top," Julian Knight said.