Angus Council’s education convener has rejected a claim that a seven-figure schools spending cut is on the cards if controversial changes planned for teachers’ conditions of service are not achieved.
After unions began to ballot members on the draft pay and conditions agreement with a possibility of industrial action looming, Angus Alliance councillor Peter Nield took a swipe at the SNP Government and said emergency provision had been built into the local budget.
“The threat of education having to find £1 million of cuts, if the changes in teachers’ conditions of service are not achieved, is not accurate,” said Mr Nield.
“Angus is a well run and respected council. Our education department is leading the way in Curriculum for |Excellence and all our schools have a very good or excellent standard.
“We know there is more to do in investing in new schools, in raising attainment and achievement, but we do recognise this good work is ongoing and down to all staff that work in education.”
He emphasised earlier Angus opposition to some proposed changes and said the council had previously sent out a strong message that it would not support changes that are not negotiated through SNCT (Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers) deliberations.
“I warned at CoSLA, I warned in council and I warned anyone that would listen the changes were too much too soon,” added Mr Nield.
“It is the SNP Government which has put us and all other councils in the position of having a budget that does not balance. They insisted on councils agreeing to teachers’ changes of conditions of service in an autocratic, dictatorial manner that was never achievable in the timescale they were talking about.
“McCrone took years to put together this naive government thought they could unravel it in two months.
“Those in CoSLA who are also leading on this need to review what they are doing. This government has decided education will be the main bearer of cuts.
“Angus Council made it plain on (council budget day) February 10 that, should the SNP Government’s imposed deal not work out, we would seek for them to make good the budget shortfall. After all, they are holding back over £400 million to do so.
“If the SNP Government then failed to acknowledge their responsibility and councils had to bail them out, Angus Alliance would look again at all budgets via its well tried and tested route of budget setting.
“It is Angus Alliance’s position that we have made short-term emergency budget provision via the general fund. We would ensure all residents know they are in safe hands with the Alliance administration and any pain would be equally spread across the council-not by education alone as the SNP would want us to do.”