THE Chancellor’s announcement that funding arrangements that discriminated against rural schools are to be changed has been welcomed in the Yorkshire Dales.

Richmond's Tory MP Rishi Sunak said George Osborne’s decision to introduce a fairer funding formula would right a longstanding injustice that meant many rural schools received hundreds of pounds less per pupil than schools in urban areas.

Earlier this month, Mr Sunak presented a petition signed by hundreds of constituents calling for fairer funding to No 10 Downing Street. He was accompanied by the head teacher and three pupils from schools at West Burton, Askrigg and Bainbridge.

Now the new funding formula will set a national rate that every school will receive for each pupil, with additional funding for those with extra needs.

“This is really good news for schools in North Yorkshire and in other rural parts of the UK who for years received substantially less money than schools in rural areas,” said Mr Sunak.

“The justification for that difference simply didn’t stand up to scrutiny and I welcome the Chancellor’s move on this.”

Mr Sunak’s campaign and petition was formally launched in October at an education forum held at Scotch Corner by headteachers and governors from primary schools through the constituency.