A Fife councillor has reiterated his call for the local authority to “come clean” over plans to cut swimming tuition for primary school children.
Councillor Mark Hood, Labour’s finance spokesman, has criticised the SNP/Lib Dem administration for its plans to stop the 10 free lessons P6 pupils get from August onwards.
The proposal, which was part of Fife Council’s budget for the year ahead, will save the local authority £117,000 in each of the next three years but Mr Hood believes the decision has been “ill thought out.”
With the cut due to come into effect soon, Mr Hood hit out again after failing to receive a reply to a letter he sent in mid-March seeking clarity on how the council intends to implement the new policy.
“It is important that schools can plan for next year’s classes,” he said. “It is clear the administration is to cut the budget for free swimming tuition for primary six pupils across Fife who can swim.
“What is less clear is how they continue to provide tuition to pupils who cannot swim.
“This looks like a policy that they have taken very little time to think through the consequences of before implementing.
“It’s looking increasing clear that the policy is unworkable what we need is the administration to come clean and admit it and for them to commit to continuing to fund free swimming for Fife’s school children.”
Mr Hood described the £117,000 a year spent by the council on swimming tuition as a “worthwhile investment in our young people.”
“With tuition in place, 34% of primary six pupils are unable to swim,” he claimed. “The number is set to increase if swimming tuition is removed completely.”
However, Councillor Douglas Chapman, who chairs Fife’s education and children’s services committee, has criticised Labour for their stance and defended the administration’s position launching his own scathing attack on the opposition.
“The policy safeguards every child who still cannot swim by the time they reach P6 and, if that’s the case, then the council will provide free swimming lessons,” he said.
“Under the previous system, every P6 child who could swim was taken to “learn to swim” sessions over 10 weeks during the school day.
“Many head teachers told us this caused disruption to the school day, added to transport costs and as many children could already swim, was not good value for money.
“Put another way, would you give free driving lessons to someone who had just passed their driving test?
“Unlikely, yet this is what Labour want us to continue to do in the context of swimming.
“If anything, these new arrangements strengthen the commitment to having every child being able to swim by P6 and helps us target the resources we do have for swimming lessons so they can be focused on those children, many of whom are from less well-off communities, who need to learn to swim and be safe and confident in the water.”