Relentless Education Cuts across Edinburgh

As an amendment to motion S3M-05287 in the name of George Foulkes (Relentless Education Cuts across Edinburgh), leave out from “in their opposition” to end and insert “in their desire to see the City of Edinburgh Council deliver the best education service possible under extremely difficult financial circumstances; considers that the 1.5% schools budget savings implemented by the City of Edinburgh Council in the 2007-08 financial year were necessary; further considers that the City of Edinburgh Council succeeded in protecting the schools budget in the 2008-09 financial year but acknowledges that further savings will have to be made in the future; considers these savings to be both necessary and the direct result of disastrous financial management by the previous City of Edinburgh Council administration that was voted out of office, leaving a £14 million budget deficit in the children and families department, and of the recession caused by the current UK Government’s dreadful handling of the economy that has lead to budget cuts across Scotland and severe job losses in Edinburgh; acknowledges that, despite the 2007-08 budget savings, Edinburgh's schools outperformed the Scottish average in terms of SQA exam pass rates in 2008-09; further notes that they are continuing to improve, having surpassed their results for 2007-08 and delivered the best advanced higher results in six years, and considers that, rather than continue to apportion blame, all parties must acknowledge the reality of the problems that the recession has caused and work together to deliver pragmatic solutions to the current funding crisis while continuing to support the success of Edinburgh's education system.”