Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Breakdown of funding for schools requested
COUNCIL education bosses have been asked to provide more detail as to how poverty-busting schools cash is being spent amid claims of improper use.
Labour education spokeswoman Georgia Cruickshank lodged a motion at a meeting of the children and family services committee on Monday asking for more detail on how Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) cash is being used.
The Scottish Government has provided Dundee City Council with £5 million of PEF money this year, with schools able to choose how they spend the funds.
The only condition is that the initiatives funded by PEF money should be designed to reduce the obstacles stopping children from deprived areas performing well in school.
Ms Cruickshank’s motion, instructing education boss Paul Clancy to bring a “comprehensive breakdown” back to councillors on how PEF is being used, was prompted by claims, she said, of schools using the money to buy staffroom cutlery.
The Tele has been unable to verify Ms Cruickshank’s claims, which she described as “rumours”.
She told the council: “I have heard a rumour that there was money used from Pupil Equity Funding to buy cutlery for a staffroom.
“I do believe that the majority of the funding will be used appropriately but it would be useful for councillors around the table to be able to have sight of that.”
Mr Clancy said he would be happy to meet Ms Cruickshank to agree exactly what information she was looking for.
At present, the council details how much PEF cash each school has received, and provides a number of case studies on how some schools are using the money.
The education boss said: “We can provide more detail but my concern would be trying to produce a larger report with a lot of facts and figures that could be hard to understand.”
Council leader John Alexander urged caution over giving credence to rumours.
He said: “The message that goes out is one of concern at how money is being allocated by our teaching staff.
“I would not want the message to be that somehow we are calling (them) into question.”