The cost of running schools in Tayside and Fife totalled more than £600 million in 2006/07, writes Grant Smith, education reporter.

Figures released yesterday by the Scottish Government showed that £4.6 billion was spent nationally on pre-school, primary, secondary and special needs education.

That included revenue funding, used for day-to-day costs such as teachers’ salaries, and capital expenditure on buildings and equipment. The sum was a 1.5% increase in real terms on the previous year.

Fife’s education budget came to £311 million, with Dundee on £118 million, Perth and Kinross on £106 million and Angus on £90 million— a total across the four local authorities of £625 million.

Salaries of teaching and support staff accounted for the majority of the spending. Costs varied considerably between local authorities, with the islands councils the most expensive to run.

The national average for spending per pupil in primary schools was £4403. Fife spent £4523, with Dundee on £4194, Perth and Kinross on £4431 and Angus on £3935 —the second lowest out of 32 councils.

For secondary schools, the national average was £6120 per pupil. Fife spent £5943, with Dundee on £6438, Perth and Kinross on £5884 and Angus on £5756.

The figures also show the proportion of school spending being devolved to head teachers continued to grow, up 5% year-on-year to £2.9 billion.