All the education boards are struggling to meet budgets

At a meeting in Armagh on Thursday, it asked the board officers to meet the education minister or secretary of state to reduce the shortfall by �0.5m.

The board was due to have made decisions to keep it in the black.

But some members rebelled, saying that the cuts would have too much of an effect on children's lives.

The package of cost cutting measures included raising the cost of school meals and music lessons and reducing teacher support.

It would have meant cancelling all but emergency maintenance for a second year.

The number of educational psychologists and school crossing patrols could also have been reduced.

Last minute vote

However, after three hours of discussions, a last minute vote delayed the decision.

Councillor Jonathan Bell said an extra �0.5m from the government would make all the difference and led the revolt.

Speaking afterwards, he said: "We are making the most savage cuts in education. We are doing things we normally would not do ourselves."

Some members felt that the revolt was a pointless gesture of defiance, others wanted to reject the whole plan.

Councillor Brendan Lewis said he thought cutting the budget by �6.7m would be wrong and that there were going to be "serious implications".

In the end, board members decided to hold out for an extra �0.5m of government money to reduce the cuts.

They have asked board officers to go back to Education Minister Barry Gardiner or Secretary of State Paul Murphy.

However, they now must set up a meeting with a government minister and then agree their budget by 11 March to stay within the law.