ANGRY headteachers have criticised the council for its handling of a crisis over equal pay for school staff.

In a highly unusual move, the authority advised primary schools to run up a financial deficit in order to backdate pay rises and compensation to support staff to address historic inequalities in public sector pay.

But headteachers say the council has not revealed the full financial implications of such a move and warn that schools may fail government inspections if they go into the red.

The council admits that it does not know whether the government will approve loans to schools to cover extra costs.

In a strongly worded letter to education boss Chris Kiernan, the Waltham Forest Primary Headteachers Association (WFPHA) say schools are effectively having to foot the bill for bonuses paid to non-education council staff in the past.

It also criticises the authority for missing the deadline to meet single status pay by two years.

Writing on behalf of all primary headteachers in the borough, it says: “There is real anger at the principle of schools being financially responsible for historical council decisions which are not in line with custom and practice in schools.

“A very strong feeling from headteachers is that if compensation must be paid directly by schools it must be equitable to individuals and schools – charged to the institution they worked at for the specific periods of time they worked there.

“Schools are self-managing and not part of the council’s overall merit and should be treated as such.”

Headteachers are calling for the process to be delayed for a year so the process can be handled in a “more appropriate” manner.

The WFPHA has asked schools’ governors to inform the council of the staffing and financial implications of the crisis.

It is also seeking advice from the Audit Commission, the body which regulates public spending.

The council is already under fire for breaking promises to finance much needed primary school expansions.

The council has so far declined to comment.