City Council Budget Set

Today the City Council set the Budget for the next year.  Given their majority on the council it will come as no surprise that the SNP got their Budget proposals through. 

The SNP proposals included removing the restriction of class sizes in primary schools; increasing class sizes for Maths and English in 4 of  Dundee's secondary schools. An across the board cut of 5% to externally funded social work services and externally funded supporting people services.

The Labour Group put forward amendments to the council's capital plan.  Our plans would have seen money moved from being spent on improvements to the Environment Department to being spent on improving schools in the city.  Unfortunately our amendment was voted down by the SNP.

I seconded Labour's Revenue Budget amendment. Our amendment would have retained class sizes of 20 for Maths and English classes in every secondary schools and given a fund to soften the blow of the cuts to externally funded social work services and supporting people services. 

The Budget is all about priorities, I accept that times are difficult and that governments in Holyrood and Westminster have not been kind to us. 

There are many things in the Budget that I would rather the council was not doing.  To be fair, I am sure that every councillor is the same.  I want to say that the education of young people in our schools is a priority and I want to say that protecting the vulnerable in our society is a priority.

Our savings would have come from things like hospitality budgets, and money spent on dealing with ash from the non-functioning DERL plant.

I believe that it is wrong to treat  pupils differently in different schools.  I want every one of the council's schools to be successful and to invest in the future of the young people who attend that school.  That is why our amendment sought to re-instate class sizes of 20 for S1 & S2 Maths and English.

I cannot believe that an across the board 5% cut to externally purchased social work services or protecting people services is a well thought out, fair and equitable way of proceeding.  We heard deputations from Unison and Dundee Voluntary Action.  I shared concerns which had been raised about the Equality Impact Assessment

We must seek to defend the poor and the vulnerable in our society.  We should seek to be a voice for the voiceless.  I am disappointed that officers have suggested that Labour's plan to use the police and fire service reserves was not allowed.   to But we found £300,000 to set up a fund to soften the blow for those organisations being faced with a cut of 5%.  We were also looking for any extra monies that become available from places like DERL should be spent on protecting the vulnerable in our society.

Labour's amendment sought to support education and sought to support those most in need of council services.  I am disappointed that SNP councillors did not listen to us and that they voted to cut 5% off services for some of the most needy in Dundee.