Dundee workers’ jobs have been saved just a week after school wellbeing support roles were cut.
Dundee City Council confirmed earlier this month that several roles would be lost due to reductions in funding.
The Courier understands three secondary schools – Morgan, Harris and St Paul’s Academies – were affected.
The council has now revealed that workers in temporary health and wellbeing positions are set to become permanent employees.
The positions will no longer exist, but the staff members will be offered redeployment within the local authority when their contracts end.
Dundee workers’ jobs saved after school roles cut
Dundee-based MSP Michael Marra confirmed this on Thursday after raising the issue with education secretary Jenny Gilruth at Holyrood.
He was contacted by three health and wellbeing workers who had been informed their posts would not be renewed.
The Labour politician initially received a letter from councillor Stewart Hunter – the council’s children, families and communities convener – on Thursday morning explaining why the roles had been cut.
However, just hours later, he was told the workers would be made permanent employees.
An update from Mr Hunter said: “After further consideration of these specific circumstances, it has been agreed that the Health and Wellbeing Workers (HWBW) will be made permanent employees of Dundee City Council at the expiry of their current contracts on June 27.
“The post of HWBW will end on that date, due to a reallocation of the tapered Scottish Attainment Challenge funding within Education.
“All substantive HWBW colleagues will continue to be offered the opportunity for redeployment within the council and, should a suitable opportunity not be found prior to June 27, postholders will be deployed within the Education Service in the new academic year until a reasonable redeployment opportunity arises.”
Mr Marra said: “This screeching U-turn from the SNP is welcome, and I know my constituents will be relieved to finally get the permanent contracts they deserve.
“It is a humiliating climbdown for the SNP administration in Dundee City Council, who just this morning told me it was impossible to save the jobs.
“The SNP made this mess with its reckless decision to slash funding that was meant to be supporting schools in some of the poorest areas in the country.
“I pay tribute to my constituents for their tenacity in fighting for their jobs and the young people they serve.
“But frankly, they should not have had to go to their MSP, and I should not have had to raise this case with the education secretary in Parliament, to get this outcome.
“Dundee deserves better than chaotic SNP politicians who couldn’t run a bath.”
The SNP and Dundee City Council have both been approached for comment.
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