TEACHERS across the county are fuming after confirmation that Essex County Council would not be paying them until after the bank holiday weekend.

About 20,000 teachers and support staff have not be paid following the announcement on Friday.

Teachers found themselves on hold to the council for up to 45 minutes as they attempted to find out what had happened.

The announcement, which has led to angry reaction from hundreds of teachers on social media, stated that due to an internal failure, teachers’ salaries will not be paid until tomorrow.

The set pay date was Saturday, August 26.

The salaries that teaching staff from schools across the county were expecting could have been the difference between just paying bills or enjoying a trip away over the bank holiday.

One teacher was outraged by the announcement, which had its biggest reaction on Facebook. The woman, who teaches in Southend, said: “It is very annoying that the only communication Essex County Council have had is through Facebook.

“By chance my headteacher saw their post and he contacted us all to let us know.

“My school have been amazing and kept us up to date with everything they know. They have tried to ease our worries at a time when it is completely out of their control.”

Lorna Flack-Elliott, 43, governor at Beauchamps High School, Wickford, has been saddened by the delay which has affected many staff over the bank holiday weekend.

She said: “As a governor, it is something we do not have any control over. But my sympathies are with the teachers and support staff who would so hard and were left with no money for the bank holiday. It is not good enough on Essex County Council’s part.”

Essex County Council has said that the announcement was made formally on the council’s website and that an apology has been sent to a number of schools.

Louise McKinlay, cabinet member for resources at the council, said: “We are extremely sorry that this error happened and we have launched a full investigation to understand why it occurred and ensure it does not happen again.

“We will offer all the help, support and advice we are able to provide to affected schools employees and have a team standing by.”