2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Chris McCall, Paul Hutcheon)
The SNP Government has urged Scots councils to finally end a row over teacher numbers and accept a funding deal announced in last week's Budget. Nationalist ministers are determined to maintain staffing levels in schools despite some local authorities complaining they do not have the resources to avoid cut-backs. The Government has previously been accused of issuing "blunt threats" and treating councils "like dirt" in the row over how education funding is spent.
Town halls have faced years of real term cuts to their budgets and have struggled to protect services in the wake of rising inflation and soaring energy bills. But SNP ministers believe the draft Budget announced by Shona Robison last week is enough to ensure councils sign-up to ensuring no teacher jobs are lost and classroom hours are frozen. The Scottish Government has now sent a joint statement to Cosla, which represents local authorities, which it plans to issue as soon as agreement is reached.
The document, seen by the Record, states: "Scotland's national and local government have reaffirmed their agreement to delivering improved outcomes for children and young people. "This year's Budget sets out a package that see local government and Scottish Government committed to working together to restore teacher numbers in 202 and freezing learning hours which will support the learning experience for pupils across Scotland. "Both local government and the Scottish Government have also agreed to make meaningful progress towards reducing class contact time for teachers, in recognition of the asks made by teachers and teaching unions.
"In order to support each of these measures, the Scottish Government is increasing the funding available to local government to £186.5m, and will issue £145.5m in full this financial year.
" It comes as Jenny Gilruth, the SNP Education Secretary, prepares to make a statement to MSPs later today on the "long-term strategy" for Scottish schools. The Record previously reported how a senior Scottish Government civil servant wrote to all local authorities where teacher numbers had dropped in the past 12 months asking them to explain any mitigating circumstances. Town hall chiefs were told they could miss out on a share of £145m funding if they did not agree to maintain teacher numbers .
The responses sent by councils blamed a mixture of funding cuts, a drop in pupil numbers as well as recruitment challenges experienced in some parts of the country. East Ayrshire Council chief executive Eddie Fraser accused the Scottish Government of making a "blunt threat". "I have to say that I was disappointed to receive your letter and particularly concerned that it contained such a blunt threat to remove critical funding which currently supports children and young people," he said in a response seen by the Record.
"If such a threat were to be enacted, it would have a significant detrimental impact on some of the most disadvantaged children in Scotland." Des Murray, chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council, said in his response the local authority was "facing year-on-year cuts in funding streams which directly impact on our ability to maintain staff numbers". He added: "The stated position of the Scottish Government in reiterating, through the media, a threat to withhold funding on this matter prior to dialogue with local authorities is also regrettable, and the council will have no hesitation in publicly defending its position robustly.
" Aberdeenshire Council complained it was unable to hire the number of teachers it required. Cosla said it did not comment on leaks when asked by the Record for comment. The Scottish Government was approached for comment.
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