Union demands end to pupil fund cash row

Teachers’ representatives have spoken out over council plans to use pupil equity funding (PEF) from the Scottish Government, calling for “rigorous monitoring” of how the additional money is spent.

North Lanarkshire’s branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland ( EIS) also called it “a matter of deep regret” that the additional £ 8.8 million is now at the centre of a row between the council and Holyrood.

The row follows councillors’ recent budget decision to implement cuts totalling £3.1m in the provision of classroom assistants and breakfast clubs, and “allowing headteachers to consider the continuation or enhancement of existing provision” using each school’s PEF money.

Branch president Lorraine McBride said after the local association’s annual meeting in Airdrie last week: “We passed two motions specifically related to the monitoring and use of PEF allocations to schools and its potential use to recruit and appoint staff.

“Both reiterated the need for fairness, transparency and collegiate involvement in PEF administration across schools; as well as rigorous monitoring of what it is used for.”

Last year the branch demanded assurances that any additional money from the Scottish Attainment Challenge, which includes PEF, would not be used to compensate for cuts to core budgets.

“That remains the clear position of the Institute, locally and nationally,” Ms McBride said.

North Lanarkshire’s planned use of the PEF money was raised at First Minister’s Questions last Thursday, when Nicola Sturgeon said: “The expectation that headteachers should then subsidise that cut with their pupil equity funding is simply unacceptable.”

Council leader Jim Logue last week told the Advertiser: “We are now in receipt of a letter from the Scottish Government threatening to withhold the entire fund ”and accused them of “playing games with young people’s futures”.

Ms McBride said: “It is a matter of deep regret and concern to the local association that muchneeded support for the children and young people of North Lanarkshire, who are subject more than most other areas of Scotland to the injustices and disadvantages associated with the poverty-related attainment gap, may be at risk of not fully receiving that support unless current differences between the Scottish Government and North Lanarkshire Council are resolved.

“We therefore urge both parties to resolve those differences as soon as possible for the good of our children and young people.”