Funding warning to Scottish councils over teacher numbers

Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed plans to prevent any reduction to teaching posts or the length of the school week.

She said the government would withhold or recoup funding from councils that do not maintain the current number of teachers and pupil support staff.

There will also be new regulations to stop local authorities cutting the number of school hours to save cash.

Councils said they needed additional funding, not more restrictions.

Local government body Cosla criticised the Scottish government last month after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised that teaching posts would be protected from local authority cuts.

Ms Somerville confirmed the details in a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

"My immediate concern is the threat that the numbers of teachers and support staff may start to fall in the next financial year, as a result of council budget decisions," she said.

"I wish to avoid such an outcome."

She said that if any of the £145.5m earmarked for teachers and support staff in the next financial year was spent elsewhere, the Scottish government would "withhold or recoup" funding.

Ms Somerville also said that regulations would be introduced to guarantee a minimum number of school hours per year.

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Stephen Kerr said the announcement would destroy any remaining good faith between councils and the Scottish government.

Labour MSP Michael Marra said the Scottish government's intervention was "woeful" and had come too late to allow councils to alter their budget plans.

Cosla said councils needed "additional funding, not more restriction", and that the Scottish government's new rules would result in further cuts to other local services.

It also said the Scottish government's move "undermines the democratic mandate of local government and is a U-turn on previously agreed flexibilities for councils over their budgets".