Fife Council’s administration has been accused of hiding behind management speak as the row over changes to school administrative staff continues.
Conservative Councillor Tony Miklinski urged the council to shelve proposals which would impact on workers.
“Small to medium-sized primary schools across North East Fife will be particularly hard hit with loyal, dedicated school secretaries forced to choose between having their salaries cut or leaving the schools they love,” he said.
“I have been inundated with messages from concerned parent councils and head teachers pleading that Fife Council should let them keep the school secretaries who keep the show on the road and look after the children and staff above and beyond their job descriptions.”
He was supported by Lib Dem councillor Tim Brett, who said this was part of a package of proposed savings agreed four years ago, but there had been little detail.
“I have had representation from pupils who value the contribution of our school secretaries saying they are the hearts of schools.”
Mr Miklinski argued savings resulting from the measures were “tiny” but the opposition was accused of scaremongering and reiterated there were no such posts as school secretaries.
Education convener Fay Sinclair explained the review of administrative staff would ensure there were sufficient workers to reflect school rolls.
All schools would have 30 hours of administrative support a week.
“Long standing employees will have real options with regard to their future and will ensure that all staff have the chance to continue to develop positive relationships with their shool staff, pupils and parents.”
But Mr Miklinski said during the debate SNP and Labour councillors repeatedly claimed “there is no such thing as a school secretary”
Mr Miklinski was “deeply disappointed” by the attitude and claimed they were “blatantly ignoring the groundswell of public opinion”.
“They were also utterly disingenuous in saying we should wait for the current process of staff consultations to end because by then it will be too late to change anything.
“Lacking the moral courage to think again, they chose to hide behind management-speak, hang school secretaries out to dry and turn a deaf ear to parents and children.”
The motion to rescind was defeated. A second Conservative amendment, proposed by Councillor Dave Dempsey, seconded by Andy Herr, to ask scrutiny committee to conduct an investigation was also rejected.
