Falkirk Labour Group leader Anne Hannah sets out how and why it was vital that councillors supported the Labour Group’s lead in opposing any reduction in school hours and the introduction of an asymmetric week.
At a meeting of the Falkirk Council on 12th December 2024 the Labour Group put forward a proposal which was supported by all the Independent and Conservative Councillors and which was passed. The proposal was:
Council:
- Praises the work of parent groups, families, individuals and the wider community in making their voices heard on this important topic and in engaging with the democratic process.
- Welcomes the uplift in funding from the UK Government to Scotland and from the Scottish Government to local authorities but has continued concern about the uncertainty around funding for teacher numbers.
- Rejects recommendations 1 to 4 within the Education Service Redesign (Learning Week) Proposal (Appendix 1).
- Confirms that there will be no further proposal for academic year 2025/26 in which an asymmetric week and/or any reduction in core learning hours will be brought forward for consideration.
- Rejects the suggestion that any reduction in Additional Support Needs support is an acceptable alternative.
- Recognises the ongoing financial position of the council and affirms its commitment to the financial strategy agreed on October 3rd, 2024.
- Instructs the director of education to report to full council on the ASN Service Review and Learning Estate Review as soon as possible.
- Agrees to postpone the budget setting meeting to March 6th. This is beyond the final reading of the Scottish Government budget bill, but still early enough to allow appropriate notice of council tax.
Agreement for this proposal means that the Asymmetric Week and Learning Hours cuts that have been hanging over families for over a year, have now been shelved. These cuts cannot be brought back for the 2025/2026 school year, and it is unlikely that they will be brought back in this form in the future. We also do not accept that any reduction in Additional Support Needs support is acceptable either.
This is not a political triumph. This is the triumph of good sense, and commitment to supporting the educational needs, attainments, and opportunities for all our children.
We did not arrive at the decision to oppose these cuts lightly. We are aware of the financial pressures faced by the council. None of the decisions that are put before us are easy, but this cut was too deep and would have had an impact too severe and long lasting for us
The Scottish government has starved local councils of funding and has prevented them from raising funds via the Council Tax, for 17 years. We have all watched a decline in our essential services. We wanted this proposal taken off the table now and in the future. Falkirk bairns deserve better than to have this hanging over them.
The announcement from the UK government of a record £4.9 billion of funding for Scotland marks the end of Tory austerity. Whilst we welcome the announced uplift in funding for Councils from the Scottish government, it doesn’t go far enough as local councils are already
We still have a challenging financial situation to address, but this cut will not be going ahead.