Petition protest to fight music fee hike

Parents furious at plan for‘astronomical’ increase

Parents of young musicians in Perth and Kinross have set up a petition against plans to increase tuition fees.

Perth and Kinross Council is set to increase instrumental music service tuition fees by 20 per cent each year for the next three years.

Joan Hay (Young Musicians Parents Association), Andrew Mitchell (Perth and Kinross Music Foundation) and Susannah Rae and Hilary Whitaker from Perth Youth Orchestra wrote to the council outlining their concerns.

The council pointed out there had been no increase for five years.

But in a letter to this week’s PA the foursome said: “Although there have been no increases over the previous five years, 20 per cent is well above the rate of inflation over that time and the proposed increase of up to 60 per cent over three years would be astronomical.

“The current total annual costs for a child to have instrumental music lessons, take part in central groups and go to music camp is £586.

“If the council puts fees up by 20 per cent next year the total cost will be £703 and if they put it up by 60 per cent over three years it will be £938.

“We welcome the council putting in money to improve access but the amount of money, approximately £35,000 per year for three years, will fund fewer than 50 pupils at the 20 per cent increased rate and fewer than 40 at the 60 per cent increased rate.

“In addition the extra money is only available for three years and it takes longer than that to learn to play an instrument.”

£544,633 was allocated in the council’s budget for the instrumental music service in 2017/18. It cost £587,990 to run the music lessons and the local authority received £402,200 in tuition fees.

Most families currently pay £245.85 for their child to learn an instrument but parents say this will jump to £392 in 2020/21.

Families who are on jobseekers allowance or employment support, along with those involved in the Youth Music Initiative, do not need to pay fees. In the past year 933 pupils paid tuition fees out of a possible 1362.

At the budget meeting it was agreed to give £523,448 to the instrumental music service, which is the lowest allocation for six years.

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “We have no plans to reduce any aspect of the instrumental music service within the local area.

“Additional funding to support this service was provided in the local authority’s budget on a non-recurring basis. This money will be used to help extend the reach of the service further than at present.

“Any savings or changes to charges for services are considered by elected members as part of the statutory budget setting process.

“The decision to increase the fees for the instrumental music service, after a five-year period where there were no increases, was taken at Perth and Kinross Council’s full council meeting in February 2018.

“The local authority has recently met with parent representatives to discuss this matter.”

The petition, which will be sent to Cllr Caroline Shiers, convener of lifelong learning at the council, can be viewed online at www.change.org/p/ councillor-caroline-shiers-musicmatters-keep-fees-fair.