Singing, Skating and Dancing Sensation from Dundee Schools Music Theatre Performing Starlight Express

On Friday night I attended a  very entertaining and professional performance of Starlight Express by Dundee Schools' Music Theatre (DSMT).

At a packed Gardyne Theatre, the very talented young players sang and danced their way through a series of lively routines. As a regular at these shows, this is what I have come to expect from DSMT. But on this occasion, the staging required the cast to roller skate as well. 

All the young players danced in their skates, sang in their skates and acted on their skates and in motion. In fact, exploiting a tricky loop down to and up from the orchestra pit had us on the edge of our seats.

Thank you DSMT for such a fun night at your music theatre..

Drop in Further Education Places - Short Term Cuts, Long Term Damage

Recent official statistics have confirmed a significant decline in the number of students studying at Colleges of Further Education in Scotland. This includes cuts of more than 25% in the student numbers at Dundee and Angus Colleges. Both Dundee and Angus colleges are soon to be subject to a forced merger by the SNP led Scottish Government. Like the merger of a Police and Fire and Rescue services, the reduction in the number of Colleges is expected to lead to unrealistic cash savings. 

The student groups that have particularly missed out, as a result of the sharp reduction in places, are mature students over twenty five and part time students, especially women returners.

At a time when unemployment in our city is high and many folk are trying to get back into work, College courses are often a helpful stepping stone from unemployment, under employment and those working at home unpaid.

This is another example of short term education cuts that lead to long term damage to individuals that are finding their route to a more successful future blocked.

Commenting on Audit Scotland Report on Colleges of Further Education

The report, from Audit Scotland on Further Education Colleges, reveals the damaging effects of the SNP’s swingeing cuts in the budgets of our local Colleges. In fact, the Colleges of Further Education have been on the receiving end of particularly harsh and unrelenting cuts, year after year. There are now fewer adults going to college, more folk on waiting lists, reduced numbers of teaching staff and a decimation of part-time courses.

Audit Scotland have confirmed that the reorganisation of this sector through forced college mergers' and budget cuts; has come at the expense of at least 1200 jobs. It’s a reorganisation built on cuts in lecturers; no wonder staff morale in this sector is low. 

Because of SNP choices, 48,000 fewer people are walking through the doors of our colleges. What’s more, part-time places have been slashed, dropping by 40%. These are not just staggering numbers, they subsume countless lost opportunities for many aspiring individuals who have found their way ahead blocked. If you been made redundant or want to go back to work after raising your family, there is now a more limited range and fewer number of places for second chances to learn in order to earn. 

It seems the Scottish Government just don't get it; that is understanding the link between investing in learning and growing our economy. Nor do they seem to appreciate the link between informal adult learning and award bearing vocational courses.  Ideally the informal community learning provision works as the vehicle for boosting confidence and re-engaging the adult learner. With growing confidence, these learners then need the articulated vocational courses to be running in their  local college.

The SNP need to show more leadership here and support colleges to deliver high quality vocational qualifications with articulated links with the informal as part of a long-term integrated employment strategy.

Planned Merger of Dundee and Angus Colleges Can't Distract from SNP Cuts in Further Education

Saving money by merging colleges like Dundee College with Angus College in November this year may sound fine on paper, but we know Audit Scotland is doubtful whether the estimated savings from college mergers will actually materialise. I hope for the sake of students that they do, otherwise our college students will continue to pay the price for the sector being the poor cousin to the Universities under the SNP.

These mergers have been rushed through by the SNP in a desperate attempt to try to reduce the impact of their £50 million cut to the budgets of the Further Education Colleges throughout Scotland.

The name of a college and it’s management structure are minor issues when compared to how our colleges serve their communities. They now have far fewer places for adult learners and adults over 25 wanting to retrain full or part time. College staffing numbers have been reduced along with courses, leaving many young Scots on waiting lists unable to get a place.

It is therefore understandable that Mike Russell MSP, the SNP's Cabinet Secretary for Education, wants to divert attention away from his college cuts. Shiny new name plates and logos can’t disguise the dramatic cuts our further education sector has suffered. Unfortunately, for many prospective students, a Further Education College is less likely now to provide the place to go to learn new skills and retrain.

Consultation on the Proposals for the Merger of Dundee and Angus Further Education Colleges

Dundee and Angus Further Education Colleges have this week published a detailed set of joint proposals for their merger: Decisions and Ambitions for a New College Serving Dundee and Angus.

In the introduction they say:

"In response to the (Scottish) Government’s aims for the reform of further education in Scotland, Angus College and Dundee College are currently working to create a strong and influential college for Tayside. The target vesting day for the new college is 1 November 2013.

As part of the merger planning process, we are holding a formal consultation on the proposed merger, which will run from 8 March to 19 April 2013. 

You can read our consultation document online - we would welcome your views on the proposed merger. The responses will help inform and shape the new college.

We consider it critical to our future success that the new college meets the needs of all of our stakeholders, not least our students, staff and employers. You can respond by submitting your comments online or you can download a printable version of the Consultation Response Form.

If you would like to request a printed copy of the Consultation Document or Consultation Response Form, please contact Dundee College Marketing Department on 01382 834948 or marketing@dundeecollege.ac.uk "

Given the importance of Dundee College to the breadth of educational opportunities in our city, I have written to the Director of Education to urge that the prepares a draft response to this consultation and brings this to the next Education Committee for approval. 

Flatlining EMAs and Reductions in College Budgets Bad News for Our Young People

At a time when there aren't many jobs in Dundee available to school leavers, gaining more qualifications can make a crucial difference to securing a job or place in further training. The Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was designed to help more 16-19 year olds either stay on at school beyond S4 or sign up for a course at a Further Education College and gain those qualifications.

The EMA is available to eligible 16-19 year olds and is worth £30 per week.

The recent release of figures for EMAs awarded by the Scottish government shows a decline over the last four years rather than an increase in Dundee.

This adds up to a reduction in the number of students from low income households who are staying on at school or doing a College course. At a time when youth unemployment in our city is stubbornly high, this reduction in EMAs is a backward step.

The SNP in Scotland has already cut spending on further education colleges like Dundee College and they are now planning to cut another £50 million from the budget for Colleges over the next 2 years. As a result, the number of teaching staff, courses and places will be cut, and the ability of the colleges to help more students improve their skills and job opportunities will be reduced.” 

Taken together these reductions in EMAs and cuts in College budgets are bad news for our young people.

Councillor Lesley Brennan said: The economy and the community benefit from investing in students staying on at school or going to college to improve their qualifications and skills. Previous research has estimated that the net economic benefit to Scotland from the work of colleges could be at least £1.3 billion a year. For every £1 invested in colleges, an estimated £3.20 is generated in assets. I know that many young people in the East End Ward would benefit from the personal advantage that comes from staying on at school or doing a training course at College. Not only would each student gain, but it would also give a handsome payback to us all in Dundee.

City of Dundee Educational Trust Quarterly Meeting

Yesterday morning I attended the quarterly meeting of the City of Dundee Educational Trust. In my capacity as a City Councillor I am one of the Trustees. 

The trust awards one off grants, usually up to £300, to applicants from the charitable funds available. The awards go to students in further or higher education who have a strong connection with Dundee. 

Application forms and further details are available from:

Jeffrey Hope, Solicitor, Miller Hendry, 13 Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1LU
Telephone: 01382 200000 Email jeffhope@millerhendry.co.uk

No Extra Places at Dundee College in Draft Scottish Budget Yesterday

Yesterday afternoon, John Swinney MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance delivered his statement to the Scottish Parliament on his draft budget 2012/13.

In his statement John Swinney announced:an extra £17 million for colleges to maintain student numbers and support (in financial year April 2013- March 2014 and underlining is my emphasis)

This is effectively putting back into the budgets of the Colleges money he had previously announced would be cut from their budgets next year. This additional cash means that places will be frozen at this year's level. It should mean that that there won't be any further reductions in places available next year.

Earlier this week, I had identified a big difference between the rising number of applicants for further education courses at Dundee College against recruitment targets that had been limited by reductions to the College's budget for this financial year. 

A spokesperson for Dundee College has confirmed:

'that currently we have 523 applicants who are fully qualified that we have had to put on a a waiting list. We also have 342 applications on the waiting list but these are people who have conditions to be met.'

I note that many offers of places to undertake a course at College will be conditional on achieving entrance standards such as achieving passes in examinations at school.

These figures, released by the College, show that there are already 865 applicants waiting for a place at Dundee College. Of these 523 are good to go but there is no place to start now.  Just over a third are applicants who are working towards meeting the entrance requirements of their course.

When our pupils leave school in June 2013, those that want to extend their qualifications at Dundee College will likely find that they are in competition for  a place with applicants who are already on the waiting list from this year.

I hope that John Swinney can be persuaded to increase further the budgets of the FE Colleges beyond the £17 million already on the table. This would be fair to the applicants marking time on the waiting list.

Shortage of Places at Dundee College

Figures released recently by Dundee College demonstrate a significant shortfall between the number of places at the College and the number of applicants. 

At the same tine that youth unemployment is at record levels in our city, we can see that a place at Dundee College is also subject to stiff competition; 8932 applicants chasing 3812 places.

Dundee College

Number of applications - 19087 

Numbers of individuals applying - 8932
(note many applicants apply for more than one course)

Number of places - 3812 

(figures supplied by Dundee College)

It must be very disheartening to get knock backs from employers and then find you are also rebuffed when you try to improve your qualifications at college because there is such a shortage of places. 

In the last two years the Scottish Government has cut the teaching budgets of Further Education Colleges by 10% each year with two more years of similar cuts scheduled. That has led to the number of College lecturing staff being reduced by more than 1800 across Scotland. This reduction in staff reduces the capacity of Colleges to provide places. It means that too many young people who want to get the qualifications that would help them into jobs are being denied the chance.

In a recession, we need to invest more not less in training and education so that when the upturn comes we have adults ready and well qualified to take their place in the workplaces that are expanding. We must not give up on our school leavers and aspiring adult learners. I hope the Scottish Government reverse their cuts in the budgets of further education colleges and pay for more places. We can't afford another lost generation.

Call to Put Dundee First at the Policy & Resources Committee Tonight

I am pleased that after my prompting last week, our Council will now be responding to the two consultations on the future of post 16 Education in Scotland. 


I notice that the draft response from our Education Director for consideration tonight refers to the many organisations that potentially contribute to developing and delivering vital educational opportunities in our city. These are vital for the potential students and vital for supporting the economic recovery of Dundee. 

I do however think that our Council's response should have a preface note about the disastrous consequences stemming from the huge reductions in the budget of our Further Education College in Dundee. 


Dundee College is the ninth largest employer in the city. If this were a private sector organisation of this scale anticipating shedding staff and reducing services in our City, I think our SNP Council would have been jumping up and down expressing their disappointment and calling for government action from Holyrood and Westminster. In this instance the axe is being swung by the SNP government in Edinburgh which has turned our SNP led Council into silent witnesses. 

Make no mistake, the scale of cuts announced will hold back the economic recovery in Dundee by reducing the capacity of one of the key organisations which can make a real difference to employers and learners. So tonight, let's hope all our Councillors stand up for Dundee first and foremost.

Cuts in Dundee College and Concerns for the Effects on Opportunities for Young People Leaving School

At the Policy and Resources Committee on Monday evening I spoke to an item that had been placed on the Agenda at my request:

Item 12 Budgetary Cuts in Further Education at Dundee College

This is what I said to the members of the Policy and Resources Committee:

"I have placed this item on the agenda because I am very concerned about the effects of current and future cuts in the budget of our further education college - Dundee College. I think the current year cuts of £4 million and projected reductions over the next three years will amount to a reduction approaching 30% of their budget. Cuts of that magnitude in an organisation that spends most of its cash on teaching staff can only lead to a reduction in the range of courses and programmes on offer and a reduction in the number of places available. 

Dundee College is the destination of choice of many of our school leavers. In fact progression rates of pupils moving into further education from our nine secondary schools is amongst the highest in Scotland and is to be commended.

Dundee College also provides vocational courses for some of our existing secondary school pupils alongside their school based subject choices.

Additionally, Dundee College also provides the rehearsal space for Dundee Schools' Music Theatre which has widespread community and political support.

Dundee College's valued collaboration and partnership with the Education Department is featured in the College's current Strategic Plan where they list as a significant achievement:

• 'Partnership with DCC Education Department at both strategic and operational levels is very well developed. Joint activity includes data sharing in order to better support transition from school to college ....'

Dundee College is also an important place to return to study or undertake an access course prior to going to University or taking an advanced course at the College. 

Furthermore, Dundee College is crucial to city employers and potential new employers. 

Crucially Dundee College it is also itself an important employer; in fact the 9th largest employer in the city.

Given rising levels of unemployment in our City and an expectation that too many of our young people will not be leaving school to move to a positive destination such as paid employment or a place at further education college or at University, we need Dundee College and the range and depth of what it does now. Conversely we don't need the College distracted from its mission by a costly and lengthy merger negotiations with Angus College. We also don't want Dundee College's vital training and educational work undermined or curtailed by swingeing cuts from the Scottish Government.

Now there is a constructive way to defend Dundee College and what it does by responding to the Scottish Government's consultation, 

'Putting Learners at the Centre: Delivering our Ambitions for Post 16 Education' 

which has a deadline for submissions on Friday 23rd December. Now Convener if you tell me that there is not staff time to respond to my suggestion in such a short timescale, then I offer myself to provide a first draft for the Council's consideration."

I am pleased that the members of the Policy & Resources Committee agreed to ask the Director of Education to prepare a response and bring this to the already scheduled additional meeting of the Committee on Monday 19 December.