At yesterday's City Council Policy & Resources Committee at which the City Council's budget was set, on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I seconded a motion from Cllr George Regan on behalf of the Labour Group, that would have seen the SNP cuts-hit education budget increased by £376 000 over SNP proposals.
This proposal would have seen a funding increase in schools' absence cover, SQA presentations funding, study support and continuing professional development for teaching staff compared to the SNP cuts agenda. I have real concerns about the "devolution" of absence cover budgets (cut by the SNP) - there is now no central budget to help a school pay for supply teachers if its devolved budget runs out through staff illness.
The proposal was unfortunately not supported by SNP councillors who appear, judging by their votes yesterday, more interested in sandwich lunches for councillors, alcohol purchases, councillors attending conferences and a civic car - as cutting these out would have helped pay for the additional education budget funding that the Labour Group proposed and the Liberal Democrats supported.
The SNP administration on Dundee City Council is out of touch with public opinion - whether it is their thoroughly inadequate response to public concerns over the biomass plant proposal or their wrong calls on the council budget.