Clydebank Post | News | £6m Education shortfall

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 2nd July, 2008 10:05

£6m Education shortfall

By Julie Gilbert

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SNP: Education spokeswoman May Smillie

MORE than £6m is needed if a pledge to reduce primary school class sizes is to be met.

The promise of smaller class sizes was a manifesto pledge by the SNP, in the 2007 Scottish Government elections.

The £6.1m cost of implementing such a policy was revealed last week in a report commissioned by West Dunbartonshire’s Labour group.

However, there is only £380,000 in the Education pot.

On Wednesday, the issue of what to do next was debated at the full meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC).

SNP Education spokesperson, May Smillie, put forward a motion to say that the council should simply affirm its commitment to reducing class sizes and defer looking at costs.

Labour councillors, however, saw this as the SNP trying to worm out of its manifesto promise.

Councillor David McBride (Lab) said: “The report highlights that the SNP did in fact mislead those that voted for them.

“Their promise requires £6.1m capital and we have a budget of £380,000.

“It highlights hypocrisy at the highest level.”

The SNP reminded Labour, however, that the pledge was not only in its manifesto but also in a concordat agreed between all the parties.

Depute Provost and SNP councillor Ronnie McColl went on to say that the figures were meaningless because planned school regeneration projects were not taken into account.

He said: “The report refers to the costs based on the current schools estate.

“We are coming up with a new plan for building new primary schools.

“We don’t know how much we are actually looking for or how much it is going to cost.”

In an amendment to the SNP’s motion, councillor Patrick McGlinchey said that the concordat simply put more pressure on the SNP to fulfil its manifesto obligations.

He said it resulted in “an expectation that local authorities will move as quickly as possible towards achieving this SNP manifesto commitment”.

With the support of Councillors Jim Bollan and George Black, Labour’s amendment of seeking funds from the Scottish Government was voted through.

The convenor of Education will now officially ask the Government for the £6.1m required and the ongoing funds of £800,000 to fulfil the pledge, as calculated in the report.

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