SNP councillors have accused the Labour Administration of putting forward a “hokey cokey” budget.
In advance of the local authority setting its budget, the row has simmered on over education proposals.
First council leader David Ross accused the SNP of twisting the facts, robustly rejecting the opposition’s claims that £3 million cuts to the education budget will lead to the loss of 70 frontline teaching jobs.
Then the SNP’s leader in Fife, Neale Hanvey, retaliated claiming a last minute Labour “climbdown” will see staff moved across Fife “in the hope it will free up £3m the administration want to use to fund future borrowing, but backtrack on commitments for future savings”.
“What’s clear is Labour have caved under SNP pressure not to permanently remove 70 frontline teaching posts.
“However, they are going to take a ‘saving’ on vacancies in the next financial year, rather than the next three years as originally proposed,” he said.
The group’s education spokeswoman Fay Sinclair added: “Labour’s Hokey Cokey budget will still see them take £3m out of education, put a few thousand pounds back in, and shake our professional teachers all about.”
However, Mr Ross insisted Labour budget proposal would benefit 2,500 youngsters who are currently without a permanent class teacher.
Moving teachers around to better meet pupils’ needs was “improving frontline education, not reducing it”.
There are more than 100 primary and secondary teaching vacancies across Fife currently being covered by supply teachers, headteachers and deputies and by other temporary measures, including combining classes.
Mr Ross said the SNP’s budget amendment would be to condemn 2,500 children in Fife to having to continue with temporary teaching arrangements.
What Labour is proposing would give these youngsters a permanent class teacher, which would be good for the pupils and for staff, he claimed.
Depute Leader Lesley Laird added: “Studies show consistency and quality of teaching is paramount.
“The teachers I’ve spoken to about our proposal are saying to me – thank goodness.
“Teachers want to deliver a quality education experience for the young people in their charge and that’s what we are proposing.
“ Its common sense to use the resources we have – it would be totally irresponsible not to.”
