Dumfries and Galloway Council teacher ratio cost plans drawn up

A package of measures is being lined up to address an estimated £606,000 shortfall in the education budget in Dumfries and Galloway.

The shortfall stems from a requirement to maintain existing teacher levels.

It comes after the council's Labour administration dropped savings plans to cut 37 teaching posts.

They were shelved when the Scottish government made maintaining teacher-pupil ratios a condition of the local government grant settlement.

The education department has now drawn up proposals to offset the shortfall.

Operational efficiencies

They include utilising some of the cash from a fund set up to mitigate the impact of the planned restructuring of additional support for learning services.

A savings plan is also proposed involving operational efficiencies, and through a refresh programme which allows teachers to take early retirement to make way for newly-qualified staff.

A report to councillors said Dumfries and Galloway Council's teacher-pupil ratio was already better than the national average but it received "no benefit" from that.

The Scottish government has said the teacher number guarantee will ensure pupils get the "best education possible".