Government proposal to by-pass national discussions on teacher numbers ‘totally unacceptable’

The Scottish Government must re-engage with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in national discussions on teacher numbers, according to the organisation’s president.

Following a special meeting of council leaders in Edinburgh today, David O’Neill said it was agreed Finance Secretary John Swinney be given the clear message that negotiation should be with COSLA and not individual councils.

He continued: “Scotland’s council leaders were clear that the Government’s proposal to by-pass national discussions with COSLA was totally unacceptable and not something that they would tolerate.

“They were very disappointed in the tone and stance of Mr Swinney on this issue and particularly the assertion that COSLA had walked away from a negotiation.”

They were very disappointed in the tone and stance of Mr Swinney on this issue

Earlier this week additional funding was announced for councils to maintain teacher numbers.

Swinney said: "To help ensure delivery of the teacher numbers commitment, and in recognition of the general budget pressures authorities are facing, I announced a further £10 million for 2015/16 – a figure proposed by COSLA – in addition to the £41 million previously allocated to support this commitment. 

"In order to protect that investment in teacher numbers this total resource of £51 million will only be available to local authorities on a council by council basis if they are prepared to sign up to a clear commitment to protect teacher numbers.

"Clearly any council that chooses not make and deliver on that commitment will not benefit from that funding. We will continue discussions on the delivery of the teacher number commitment with partners, including local government."

O’Neil said council leaders were “adamant” that only collective discussions at a national level can resolve the issue and that no council be sanctioned as a result of workforce planning issues.

He added: “To put it simply the Scottish Government tried to by-pass COSLA on a difficult and complex issue by taking national negotiation off the table. Council leaders put it right back on today.”

Today’s meeting was attended by 27 of Scotland's 32 councils, as some local authorities - including Glasgow - are due to leave COSLA in April.