Deputy First Minister John Swinney issued a letter on February 5 threatening financial sanctions against councils that fail to maintain both teacher numbers and teacher pupil ratios.

West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) is also tasked with meeting the government’s priority of moving as many pupils as possible from condition C and D schools to class A and B category schools.

However, this involves school amalgamations — which requires fewer teachers.

Council education convener Michelle McGinty met with MSP Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, last week to explain the difficult situation this places the council in.

She and council director Terry Lanagan argued that it is unfair to insist that both numbers and ratios are maintained, with no allowance being made for mitigating factors outwith the council’s control such as falling rolls, a shortage of supply teachers or difficulties in recruiting teachers.

Councillor McGinty said: “We are one of the few councils who have managed to maintain teacher numbers over recent years and have also increased attainment and educational outcomes for our pupils. Despite some differences the Cabinet Secretary shares our ambition to improve educational outcomes.

“She also recognised that we are driving forward with other Scottish Government priorities such as our Regenerating Learning Strategy to lift pupils from C and D condition schools.” At the meeting Councillor McGinty highlighted the council’s ongoing commitment to schools’ regeneration, citing the 7,000 pupils already lifted out of C and D schools with a further 2,000-3,000 to follow because of a capital commitment of £35.5m over the next three years.

Following the meeting, council leader Martin Rooney wrote to the Deputy First Minister John Swinney confirming that WDC intends to maintain teacher numbers and pupil teacher ratios during 2015/2016.

Councillor Rooney stated: “Having demonstrated West Dunbartonshire Council’s good faith in this regard, I would urge the Scottish Government to work constructively with the council to deliver on key educational outcomes and to provide financial and other support to the council where appropriate.” A Scottish Government spokesman said: “West Dunbartonshire is benefiting from more than £35m funding to build or refurbish 10 primary and secondary schools in the area. The council agreed to sign up to the individual agreement to maintain teacher numbers.

“Teacher number commitments have been part of the local government finance settlements since 2011/12 and the failure to deliver on this agreement in 2014/15, despite additional funding specifically for that, was a material factor in informing the government’s revised approach to funding in 2015/16.

“We are pleased that local authorities are working with us to provide the right number and highest quality of teachers in our schools. We know this is a priority for families, that’s why are offering councils £51 million – including an additional £10 million over and above last year’s settlement specifically to support this.”