Collision course

Amendments to its original budget have made extra savings of several million pounds but rather than ploughing the money into government priorities such as reducing class sizes and free school meals to all primary one to threes, the Labour-run council will snub the SNP administration’s policies and create nurture classes across the city.

The local authority has piloted nurture classes, which give pupils with behavioural problems and emotional or behavioural difficulties, lessons in social skills before they start formal learning.

Over the past two years, the council has signalled its intention to extend nurture classes into nursery and secondary schools in the wake of research which found the scheme improved behaviour and academic performance and is expected to force through its proposals today through Labour’s weight of numbers.

The extra money is understood to have been sourced through a re-examination of savings which could be yielded from absentee management. The move follows comments last month by the leader of the council that he had “no intention” of pursuing the Scottish Government’s class size targets despite being in a position to make significant steps towards delivering the SNP manifesto promise.

It is also understood the administration will put through a number of further initiatives in what sources describe as “an education-focused budget” but these are being kept under wraps until this afternoon.

The council has announced its plans to meet a shortfall of £61 million for the next financial year, with reforms already in place meeting half of that.

Last month the council announced it will lose 600 jobs, close community halls and swimming pools and shut half its museums one day a week in a bid to make up the £30m shortfall.

Around £4m in grants to community groups will also be axed as part of what the council has warned will be the best budget for the foreseeable future.

A senior council source said last night: “We’re not prepared to sacrifice what works to save the blushes of Edinburgh ministers. It’s got nothing to do with the fact universal free school meals and class sizes are being promoted by the SNP but because the policies are wrong.

“Politically, we’re on very sure ground and this will drive a cart through the SNP Government’s policies on education. The money isn’t ring-fenced and the government has allocated nothing towards its class size policy.”

Another source added: “The focus is definitely on education -- but Glasgow’s own priorities, rather than any concessions on ministers’ election pledges. Not a single penny will be spent supporting national pledges on class sizes and school meals.”

Although they have held face-to-face talks in recent weeks, today’s budget will do little to improve relations between the recently installed Education Secretary Michael Russell and Glasgow’s council leader Steven Purcell.

The relationship reached rock-bottom in November when Fiona Hyslop, the former education secretary, threatened to remove schools from council control because of the lack of progress on class sizes.

Elsewhere in the budget, children not eligible for free school meals will now have to pay for school breakfasts, families living outside the city could have difficulty getting their children into a council partnership nursery, and the distance for eligibility for school transport will be increased.

One library will shut, some previously free open-air concerts such as Proms in the Park could now charge an entry fee and other funded events axed altogether. As part of the efficiency savings, a number of community amenities could close.

Attractions such as the People’s Palace and St Mungo’s Museum will close on Mondays from April -- although Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art and Burrell Collection will be spared the cut in opening times.

A raft of community facilities will also be axed due to poor physical conditions, while some sports centres will shut two half-days per week.

Anger over bid to close 16 kitchens

By Catriona Stewart

School kitchens in Glasgow’s east end have been threatened with closure in a bid to shave £900,000 from the city’s education budget.

But angry parents say their children’s health and well-being will be put at risk by the cost-saving venture.

Scott Anderson, from Mount Vernon Primary’s Parent Council, says the move will have a detrimental effect on pupils.

Scott, whose son Ruairidh is in P4 at the school, said: “The east end has a poor history for good nutrition so you would think the council would do everything to make sure kids had healthy, balanced meals.”

Under the new scheme, working canteens in 16 schools would close and meals would be transported from a central preparation kitchen. Mount Vernon Primary’s school meals would be cooked in nearby Eastbank Primary School.

The first phase of the closures, if they go ahead, will be finished by the end of March.

Council bosses say staff numbers will be reduced but there will be no compulsory job losses. Instead, workers will be offered voluntary redundancy and early retirement. Those who stay will be redeployed.

One third of Glasgow’s primary schools are already “dining centres”, schools without working kitchens, but the scheme will potentially be rolled out across the city.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said the new measures would not affect the quality of school meals. She added: “The city has one of the best school meal services in the country and this will not be compromised.”

TIMES FILE: School kitchens faced with closure...

Alexander Parade Primary,

Ashcraig ASL,

Carmyle Primary,

Carntyne Primary,

Dalmarnock Primary,

Garrowhill Primary,

Haghill Park Primary,

Mount Vernon Primary,

St Bridget’s Primary,

St Francis of Assisi Primary,

St Maria Goretti Primary,

St Marks Primary,

St Rochs Primary,

St Thomas Primary,

Sunnyside Primary,

Swinton Primary.