Battle lines have been drawn over where the axe will fall on public services in Dundee ahead of next week’s council budget debate.
In what is expected to be a heated debate, Labour will demand that the SNP administration provide a cash-injection to help get the city’s young people into work.
They will also insist that the SNP put the brakes on plans to scrap the teaching post at the Menzieshill Young Mums Unit (YMU).
The SNP group have already revealed proposed cuts totalling nearly £7 million over the next two years.
As well as scrapping the teaching post at the YMU, the administration plan to cut more than £650,000 from street cleaning services, as well as close two of the city’s bowling greens, at Baxter Park and Victoria Park.
Labour group leader Kevin Keenan said it was essential there is a provision in the budget to help get young people jobs.
He said: “Labour councillors have been busy developing alternative proposals to the budget cuts from the SNP group.
“In our proposals we have prioritised young people. We can’t be happy that at the last count nearly 150 young people, aged 18-25, in our city have been unemployed for more than 12 months.
“We have been seeking ways to increase the council’s efforts on reducing youth unemployment in our city.
“We have identified monies in the proposed council budget which we think are better used to provide a fund to support a minimum of 20 modern apprenticeships within small businesses in our city.
“We must try to ensure that unemployed young people are engaged in work and training that qualifies them for a secure future.”
As well as their plans two create 20 modern apprenticeships, Labour’s education spokesman Laurie Bidwell said that the group had found the funds to save the teaching post at the Menzieshill Young Mums Unit.
More than 1,000 people have already signed an online petition calling for the unit to be protected.
Mr Bidwell said: “Our alternative savings would also halt the removal of the teacher post at the YMU. We should be proud of the successful work of the YMU working with young mums and their children and the integrated support that helps them to complete their education and at the same time develop competence and confidence as young parents.
“The education director has said the YMU is under review and is to be re-structured and moved to the Baldragon Campus. The budget proposal to cut the only teacher post in the unit is at best premature. If the future of the unit is under consideration, the review should involve the mothers, their parents and carers, all the YMU staff, trade unions, our partner organisations in health and social work and the education committee.”