Highland Council chiefs have scrapped controversial plans to axe up to 40 secondary teachers in a bid to plug a multi-million pound budget gap.
The decision followed a public outcry over proposed cuts and was made after an additional £7.516million of Scottish Government funding.
Politicians and unions last night welcomed the move, which comes just over a week after the authority was forced to perform another spectacular u-turn over proposals to reduce dozens of classroom assistants dealing with pupils with additional needs.
North MSP Kate Forbes said: “Parents were rightly concerned at the prospects of cuts. After mass outrage and additional funding from the Scottish Government, I am delighted that these unfair and absurd cuts are off the table. These cuts would have disadvantaged kids in the Highlands.”
Highland MSP Gail Ross added: “I’m pleased to see that the council administration have decided to change their minds. However, I’m becoming increasingly concerned that every line that they’ve established on their budget is being changed.
“This late in the day it does not install confidence in their leadership, I would have hoped that suggestions such as cutting teachers would never have been on the table.”
Highlands and Islands Regional MSP Rhoda Grant said: “If the extra funding provided by the Government to Highland Council means that Highland Council jobs are safe that is of course a satisfactory outcome for employees, but let’s not be fooled.
“There will inevitably be drastic cuts to services and at the end of the day it is those within our communities who are going to suffer.”
Liz Gordon, regional officer for the GMB union, said: “This is a very welcome outcome. I hope in future the council will be more circumspect about budget decisions, and avoid the anxiety it caused the staff this time around.”
Highland Council budget leader councillor Alister Mackinnon said: “This additional money, agreed at the 11th hour, is indeed welcome news and means that we will not be forced to cut as deeply as we had first feared.
“The funding will give us the means to protect more frontline services and to avoid the loss of any jobs.
“However, due to the size of our budget gap which has increased to allow for the changes to government’s proposed pay settlement, we still need to make savings or generate additional income to the tune of £16 million. This will not be easy.
“We have done a great deal of work in identifying options to close this gap with the least possible impact on essential services.
“We will bring forward these proposals to balance the budget for 2018-19 and to prepare for future years, for approval by council on 15 February.”
