Last week there were reports attributed to the Scottish Government that extra cash generated by an increase in the Council Tax for householders with properties in the top three council tax bands would be distributed directly to schools. This would be awarded per pupil of parents or carers on low incomes. This is my press response:
"I am cautious about giving this proposed extra cash for schools an unqualified welcome. Whoever made this announcement is getting ahead of themselves. Before any of this extra cash can be distributed to schools, it has to collected in the Council Tax for the next financial year beginning in April 2017. The details of the scheme are also very sketchy. For example, what is the per pupil premium amount? £300, £750? Over how many years might this extra cash be available for schools to spend?
While extra cash from one Scottish Government hand is welcome, it may be more than wiped out by another reduction in the Council's block grant from another hand of the Scottish Government. This latter funding will not be revealed until December and might not be agreed in the Scottish Parliament until January 2017 and it is this cash that will continue to fund the greatest share of the expenditure in our schools.
I think most parents and carers want reassurance from the SNP Administration of the Council that the overall cash for their children's education in our city schools will not be cut again in 2016-17."
