Dundee’s education convener has described as “malicious scare-mongering” claims that schools in the city could close due to financial constraints.
Liz Fordyce lashed out at the claims of Labour’s Laurie Bidwell, who told us the SNP administration had not ruled out closures as part of cost-cutting measures.
Councillor Fordyce insisted all proposals being considered by the local authority were already in the public domain and attacked the Labour group and other opposition parties for the way they had conducted themselves over the issue.
Although the merging of several Dundee schools has been on the agenda for some time, claims some could be forced to close their doors were met with strong denial from the city’s education convener.
Asked by The Courier if school closures were a possibility, Ms Fordyce replied, “It’s malicious scare-mongering. It’s letting down the people of the city.
“They (opposition politicians) are not serving the public the way they should be. It’s getting boring having to say it’s not true.
“Our proposals are in the public domain and we have consulted parents, teachers and trade unions and are confident in what we are doing.”Budget savingsDundee City Council has to save £14.58 million in the next financial year, of which just over £4 million is coming out of the education budget.
Several schools with small rolls are already set to merge, including Whitfield and Newfield primary and Lochee and Charleston primaries.
Park Place and St Joseph’s schools are also set to share a campus.
Ahead of tomorrow’s deadline to raise alternatives to the administration’s budget, Mr Bidwell Dundee Labour education spokesperson had suggested school closures were not out of the question.
Adding that the public and teaching staff should be allowed to discuss the council’s proposals ahead of a budget meeting next week, he said, “The head teachers and depute head teachers have not only identified their concerns, but also have identified their own alternative budget savings including merging smaller primary schools and moving smaller primary schools to share premises with a local secondary school.
“I understand that the administration is currently considering these alternative savings and has not ruled out school closures and mergers.
“While Labour would not support school closures, I think parents, teachers and members of the education committee should be allowed to discuss the education cuts and potential alternatives before they are adopted in a block at the budget meeting next week.
“If that means a delay in the budget process, so be it. I think the public would expect their politicians should leave no stone unturned in finding the least damaging reductions in education in the city.”
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user comedy_nose.