Labour Budget Proposal Can Retain the Early Years Practitioners Based in 22 of Our Primary Schools

At the Council's Budget Meeting this afternoon (Thursday 13 February 2014), the alternative budget savings Labour Councillors have identified will allow us to propose an amendment to the budget brought forward by the SNP Administration of the Council. 

I am relieved that we have found a way to stop the removal of the Early Years Practitioners who work in twenty two of our Primary Schools in the City. These practitioners, many educated to degree level, make an important contribution to pupils learning by, for example, taking reading and maths groups in P1-3 classes.

I trust that the SNP Administration will recognise the weight of public opinion against this damaging cut and support our amendment.

Since the SNP took over the administration of the Council in April 2009, they have removed staff from our Primary Schools year after year.

In successive budgets they have cut a Deputy Head Teacher from each of our Primary Schools, removed the team of visiting teachers of PE and Music from working in all our primary schools and increased class sizes.

This time I hope they will step back from imposing a damaging further cutback in our Primary Schools, which we have shown can be avoided.