SIR – At the end of March 2013, Bradford Schools had £22 million underspent in their budgets and had a further £19 million in contingencies and other balances.

It appears that Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s lead member for children and education, is unaware of these surpluses, otherwise he would not have come out with the nonsense attributed to him (T&A, October 14), that schools were having to decide whether to spend money on security or teachers.

Now in its third year, the Pupil Premium was proposed by both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in their 2010 General Election manifestos to improve educational attainment of pupils from financially poor families.

This year it’s risen to £900 per pupil eligible for Free School meals. While the figures for individual schools have not yet been published, this will bring about £25 million extra into Bradford’s schools.

Some schools have been using this money to pay for additional teachers.

Clive Richardson, Bronte Old Road, Thornton