At last week’s meeting of Stirling Council, the Labour Administration voted through a package of educational cuts for the second year running. Despite an increase in the Council Tax of 1.8%, Stirling’s schools will once again be feeling the pinch, says opposition Education spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives Cllr Alistair Berrill.
“Last year Labour slashed almost £1 million from the Education budget. This year the cuts total over £700,000. They are taking £227,000 from pre-school education, £381,000 from primary and secondary schools, and £100,000 from primary school closures.”
There is confusion over the £100,000 for primary school closures, which Labour have coyly referred to as their “review of primary school provision and arrangements.” As far as Scottish Conservative Cllr Berrill understands, this can only mean the proposed closure of Lochearnhead Primary School. But, he says, “they haven’t yet approved the closure, which is to be discussed at the meeting of the Executive on Tuesday (13th February). They seem to be jumping the gun in voting through the cuts before the closure has been approved.”
Cllr Berrill believes that, year on year, these cuts to front line services must begin to damage the quality of our children’s education. “Labour voted down our budget, which would have preserved full funding to schools. We had proposed making reductions in headquarters administrative costs, which would have safeguarded the money going into schools. Yet, once again, Labour have shown that their instinct is to remove money from where the impact will be felt the hardest.”
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