Education under threat from £34m budget cuts

Teaching and cleaning posts, swimming lessons and school meals targeted

Education services could bear the brunt of £34 million worth of budget cutbacks, it has emerged.

Dozens of teaching posts are under threat as Perth and Kinross Council attempts to slash spending over the next two years.

Changes to class sizes could see the loss of around 24 maths and English teachers, while primary school swimming lessons also face the chop.

Other options being considered are cuts of nearly £500,000 to contracted cleaning and janitorial services and an increase in school dinners from £2.10 to £2.70 – a move which could make lunches unaffordable to about 25% of families.

Care home beds for 94 older people could also be lost to save nearly £1m.

And a crucial lifeline service – the community alarm control room – also faces an uncertain future.

Dozens of teaching posts could be axed as council chiefs scramble to make savings of nearly £34 million over the next two years.

Perth and Kinross Council has revealed a range of money-saving options for its 2017-19 budget.

The proposals, which will go before councillors next week, include a range of swingeing cuts to educational and social care services.

Nearly 24 English and maths teachers could be made redundant if plans to revert to maximum class sizes are approved.

In a report to councillors, officials have warned the move would bring additional workload for teaching staff and “may impact on attainment and achievement of pupils”.

A further 1.2% reduction of all secondary school teaching staff is also proposed. This could save a further £204,000, but would lose 7.1 out of 591 full-time-equivalent posts.

It is also proposed that the council cuts back on using visiting specialists in primary schools, such as expressive arts and PE teachers. This would cut around 10 jobs and save £325,000, but would mean extra work for teachers.

Janitorial and cleaning staff employed by Tayside Contracts are also under threat.

The council is looking at slashing its contract with the company – the council’s contracting arm – by £463,000.

The budget for Perth and Kinross Council will be set on February 22. SPOKESMAN

This would affect an unspecified number of non-council employees, according to papers.

Opening hours could also be cut at community campuses, saving £100,000.

And school lunches could go up from £2.10 to £2.70. Officials say this would save £250,000 but they expect around a quarter of families who pay for meals will opt out.

Council tax, which has remained frozen for the past few years, will generally rise by 3% – although people living in bands E-H could see rises of between 7.5% and 22.5% because of Scottish Government-imposed multipliers.

Meanwhile, head teachers at primaries and secondary schools will be asked to make savings of more than £400,000 through cuts to learning materials and training.

It will be up the heads how these savings are made.

The council has stressed these are only options to be considered at the next full council meeting on Wednesday.

A spokesman said: “The budget for Perth and Kinross Council will be set on February 22.

“It is ultimately for councillors to debate and consider the options and agree a final budget.”

Elsewhere, the number of permanent care home placements for older people could be cut by 94. The council has 987 such beds on its books.

The budget report notes: “There is a risk that removing 94 places could cause delays to delivery of care home placement funding, increasing delayed discharges and the waits of those requiring a care home placement who are in the community.”

A redesign of the drug and alcohol service could affect around 19 jobs and save £225,000.

In October, councillors were warned severe budget cuts would have to be made in the wake of the EU referendum.