Education bosses in Fife are being urged to publish a report on the impact of
music cuts across the Kingdoms schools after it emerged that a report planned
for the Education and Childrens Services Committee earlier this month was
pulled on the instruction of the SNP chairman.
Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley said; It was confirmed to me by the head of
education (North) on the 15th of July that a report was to be brought to the
committee that would set out what the impact of the cuts taken in this financial
year had been. I was then told by the author of the report on the 27th of July
that the report was prepared in draft and would be available the following week.
Then when no report appeared by the 16th of August I was informed that the chair
of the committee had requested the report be pulled.
Mr Rowley has written to the Director of Education asking that the report be
published now saying that conflicting information on the scale of the impact is
now causing widespread confusion and belief that the council has something to
hide. He said; It is simply not good enough that this report was pulled. While
education bosses tell me that 6.2 posts have gone, staff say it is actually 11
full time instructors posts plus four from the piano maintenance department and
one at head of service level.
We are entitled to know what the impact of this cut is on our schools and it is
not right that the SNP and Lib Dems are pulling reports. What is it that the SNP
and Lib Dems are frightened of and is it the case that they did not like what it
said so decided to pull it, if so this is not acceptable under any circumstances
and this kind of behaviour must be stopped.
He concluded; I expect that this report will be published and if not I will be
submitting a Freedom of Information Request as I was told in writing that the
draft was ready and was going to be made available.
