CUTTING TEACHERS DOESN'T ADD UP..

Council bosses warn SNP tax freeze will hit education hard

- PAUL HUTCHEON

TEACHERS' jobs face the axe to pay for Humza Yousaf's planned council tax freeze, council bosses have warned.

Cutting teaching time for pupils has also been raised by council chiefs as a way to help fund the freeze, according to a letter leaked to the Daily Record.

The First Minister infuriated town hall bosses when he announced a freeze on council tax which funds local services - during his speech at SNP conference, without consulting them.

They fear it will be funded on the cheap by the Scottish Government and result in councils having to make deep cuts to lifeline services.

Now a letter to Yousaf from Shona Morrison, president of council body Cosla, has outlined the cost-saving measures needed to make the freeze a reality.

Among them is the removal of national guarantees on "teacher numbers" and "configuration of the school week. But teachers' unions last night hit out at any plan to cut teacher numbers or reduce the time they spend in front of pupils.

Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS trade union, said: "It is simply nonsensical to suggest that reducing the number of teachers in our schools or cutting the length of the pupil week, is in any way linked to improving educational outcomes.

The letter from Morrison repeated the frustration felt by council chiefs over the freeze and set out a list of conditions for backing the policy.

One of the biggest asks is councils making their own decisions on teacher numbers.

Local authorities wanted to cut posts earlier this year to protect other services but this was prevented by then first minister Nicola Sturgeon.