Council officials told to look again to stop £8.2m education cuts

Officials who put forward the cut for approval were told to look again for extra available cash, following claims that finance convener Mandy Watt gave assurances the money could be found without impacting other services.

The savings, proposed to help close a £20 million budget gap ahead of the new financial year in April, would see the number of pupil support assistants and other staff reduced and less funds for head teachers to spend on classroom essentials and school improvements.

As they were discussed at the education committee, members of teaching union EIS said many teachers were already “picking up the consequence” of council cuts.

Edinburgh branch secretary Alison Murphy said many head teachers were already facing “incredible pressures” and being forced to make “impossible choices”. Deputations from several parent councils also urged councillors to reject the plans.

However, the cost-cutting measures were described as the “least worst options” by the council’s education director Amanda Hatton.

The authority’s new finance director Richard Lloyd-Bithell said all departments were “sharing the burden” to bridge the gap. He said “one-off” options included using up reserve funds and “re-profiling” some loan debt payments.

The committee unanimously agreed a motion stating they were “unhappy recommending options that reduce education budgets” and referred the decision to the budget meeting on February 22.