Scottish government to 'intervene' to stop council teacher cuts

Scotland’s education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is preparing to intervene to stop local councils cutting teacher numbers.

The BBC understands that Ms Somerville is considering options and is likely to announce action within days.

She is also expected to prevent the number of school hours being reduced.

It follows reports that several local authorities, including SNP-led Glasgow city council, are considering education cuts to balance their budgets.

The move is expected to trigger a major row between the Scottish government and councils over funding levels and where power lies.

Local government body Cosla had expressed “deep concern” over this year’s cash allocation from the Scottish government.

It has warned of a significant funding gap that would have a “detrimental impact on vital local services” and lead to job cuts.

Council tax increases are widely expected when councils set their budgets in the coming weeks.

Ministers have provided some extra cash to councils, but price inflation and recent public sector pay deals have put the Scottish government’s finances under pressure.

The BBC understands that ministers are concerned that hundreds of teaching jobs could be cut as councils try to make savings.

That would conflict with the SNP’s manifesto commitment to increase the number of teachers and classroom assistants in Scotland by at least 3,500 before the next election.

It could also open up a new front in the current industrial dispute between the teaching unions and their local government employers over pay, which has resulted in a series of strikes.

Last year, the Scottish government earmarked £145m to help councils maintain and expand the teaching workforce.

Despite that, annual statistics for 2022 published in December showed that the total number of teachers fell by 92 year on year to 54,193.

Ministers have previously used ring-fencing to protect spending in particular areas. They also have statutory powers to direct education authorities in certain circumstances.

At Holyrood last week, Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he was “deeply worried” about the threat of teacher cuts in Glasgow and elsewhere.

When he asked the first minister how many teachers would lose their jobs across Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon did not offer a specific number.

Ms Sturgeon said she respected the “autonomy of democratically elected institutions”.