Dundee City Council leader John Alexander has blamed a ‘communication cock-up’ for the local authority saying it would use Scottish Government funding to provide swimming lessons.
The Courier revealed on Monday that Dundee City Council intended to stop providing swimming lessons for all primary six pupils in the city.
A spokesman for the local authority said the decision had been taken following discussions with head teachers who were concerned about the length of time some pupils were spending out of the classroom in order to attend lessons.
But the statement added schools could use money from the Pupil Equity Fund – which is provided by the Scottish Government to cut the attainment gap – to provide lessons instead.
Scottish Government education secretary John Swinney said on Wednesday this would be an unacceptable use of PEF money.
Now council leader John Alexander has blamed a “communication cock-up” for the suggestion PEF money could be used.
Mr Alexander said the local authority is looking at ways to provide more intensive lessons for non-swimmers.
These include providing lessons after school or in the evenings.
Mr Alexander wrote on Twitter: “The response issued to the press on Monday was inaccurate and an apology for confusion has been issued. I was surprised to read it in the paper on Monday in the terms put.
“The swimming budget has never come before committee for politicians to decide to cut it either as part of the budget process or outwith. The budget remains exactly as it was and there is no suggestion to change this.
“The piece on Monday did, however, accurately reflect the challenges in delivering lessons.
“What has been proposed is that an options appraisal is brought to committee to look at how we use this money to deliver more intensive lessons, particularly for those that cannot swim.
“Anyone who presents this as a u-turn or because of an intervention is wrong. No decision has been taken by politicians, therefore no budget cut could or has been made. We want to enhance how we deliver swimming.
“It was a communication cock-up to put it in those terms.”
On Facebook he added: “I’ll not go into the detail of how that came about but a lack of oversight led to the wrong information and a lack of context being provided to our PR office.”
(2/4). The swimming budget has never come before committee for politicians to decide to cut it either as part of the budget process or outwith. The budget remains exactly as it was and there is no suggestion to change this.
…..
— Cllr John Alexander (@CllrAlexander) May 24, 2018
(4/4) Anyone who presents this as a u-turn or because of an intervention is wrong.
No decision has been taken by politicians, therefore no budget cut could or has been made.
We want to ENHANCE how we deliver swimming.
It was a communication cock-up to put it in those terms.
— Cllr John Alexander (@CllrAlexander) May 24, 2018
