City Schools Budget to increase by 2.6%

10.25.43pm GMT Fri 5th Feb 2010

Councillors in the Lib Dem/SNP Administration in Edinburgh have signalled that they plan to keep reductions to devolved school budgets to 1% in the coming year despite unprecedented financial challenges. In November last year the Director of Children and Families proposed that £5 million (2.5%) would need to be saved because of severe financial pressures affecting the authority. There was widespread concern amongst parents that such a cut could cause real problems in schools.

This decision comes as the overall schools budget for Edinburgh is to be increased by 2.6% or £5.2m. Unfortunately the Council's costs this year are significantly higher this year so a cut to the budgets of individual schools has be unavoidable. A total of £7.2 million has to be spent next year on a pay increase for teachers, new rules on teacher leave entitlement and delivering of smaller class sizes in some schools.

City Education Leader Councillor Marilyne MacLaren said, "Last year we were able to make no cuts to school budget. This Administration has continued a strong commitment to education and children's services by prioritising school budgets. Unfortunately some services will still be affected but by reducing savings in schools budgets to just 1% we are safeguarding £3 million that can be targeted where it is most needed."

The Liberal Democrat led Council has found the funding to increase the supplies and services budget for schools by £250,000 for the second year running. The supplies and services budget is used in schools to pay for everything from computers and smart boards to art supplies, text books and musical instruments. Until the increase in 2009 the budget had not been increased in real terms for a decade. Councillor MacLaren continued, "We are conscious that Head Teachers have been struggling with their supplies and services budget . We can now announce that we will increase this budget for the second year running by £250,000."

Full details of the updated Children & Families budget position and the wider Council Budget will be presented to the meeting of the full Council on Thursday 11th February.