Schools' music tuition in confusion over cuts

Service staff told £200K of efficiency savings are required

- KAIYA MARJORIBANKS

Music tuition in Stirling’s schools was this week at the centre of cuts confusion ... just two months after councillors unanimously rejected an option to slash it by £250,000.

Staff from the council’s instrumental music service were said to have been called to an urgent meeting chaired by a service manager on Tuesday of this week and told that education officers are seeking £200,000 of 'efficiency savings' from the service in this financial year.

Specific details of where the axe could fall were said to have been outlined at the meeting.

With councillors across the board unaware of the move, questions were then being asked over just how a cut of almost the same level was being brought in “under the radar” without the knowledge of elected members.

But yesterday (Thursday) the council denied any such cuts were being considered.

Earlier, one campaigner told the Observer: “The people of Stirling, through their elected members, have made it quite clear that they value and wish to see the music service remain intact and enhanced.

“Unelected council bureaucrats appear to be wilfully disregarding the wishes of Stirling councillors and are bringing forward these efficiency savings behind the backs of elected members.”

A Stirling SNP group spokesperson meanwhile said: “From what we have discovered, [the ‘efficiencies’] could be over £200,000, with cuts to tuition at McLaren, Balfron and Stirling High Schools.

“Stirling SNP councillors remain resolute in avoiding the annual stress to families of such cuts at budget time and indeed our motion to protect music tuition was passed earlier this year.