News / Town parents say school cuts “unfair”
PARENTS in Lerwick are complaining that Anderson High School is being asked to saddle too great a share of cuts to the council’s education budget.
A parents council meeting on Wednesday night heard that the Lerwick secondary was due to lose £56,000 from its operating budget, a cut of 21 per cent, which pays for basics like pens and paper for pupils.
Shetland Islands Council director of children’s services Helen Budge told parents that the entire schools operating budget of £800,000 was being cut by 10 per cent to meet tough saving targets.
Parent council member John Fraser said it was unfair that a school that taught 27 per cent of Shetland’s pupils should be shouldering 71 per cent of the £80,000 cuts.
He said he sympathised with the council trying to slash its education budget by £3 million, but suggested it would be better to focus on reducing the number of schools, many of which are under capacity.
“I am convinced that these savings can be found elsewhere and the education budget maintained,” he said.
“However with a school estate running at approximately 50 per cent capacity I still advocate its rationalisation with the redirection of resources to ensure a positive, efficient, effective, sustainable and equitable educational experience for all Shetland’s children.”
MS Budge explained that in 2008 the Anderson High had been granted an extra allocation to boost its operating budget. That top up was being removed, accounting for the disproportionate level of cuts.
“Due to the council having to make considerable savings we have been unable to allocate any additional lump sums to the Anderson High School, so they are being treated exactly the same way as all our other schools.”
She said the school’s operating budget would be cut to £209,000, making up 30 per cent of the entire budget of £720,000.
Local councillor Jonathan Wills, who attended Wednesday’s meeting, said that head teacher Valerie Nicolson would be unable to run the school if she lost that much money.
“I know there was a historical formula that appears to favour the Anderson High, but there are reasons for that, like it provides additional support needs and science technicians for all of Shetland, and a disproportionate number of fifth and sixth year pupils,” he said.
“It wasn’t favouritism, it was a reasonable adjustment of the formula.”
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