We have seen a recent letter from Robert Naylor, Head of Resource Services for Renfrewshire Council’s Education and Leisure Services to the Graham Murname, the Chair of Gryffe High School’s Parent Council.  

Mr Naylor explains that there are two reasons why Gryffe High School is required to cuts its teaching staff by five.  Firstly population changes include more older people and fewer younger ones requiring a re-alignment of council resources and secondly, the grant settlement for Renfrewshire reflects the decline in population. 

He says that the Council are seeking to slash £4.534 million from education as well as finding £1.2 million for what they identify as ongoing priorities. 

HALL says: This announcement reflects the failure of Renfrewshire Council. 

Recently, Jack Perry, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise identified that Scotland has three natural resources to exploit, its innovative brain power, its world class scenery and its wind. 

And as an answer the Council is diminishing the effectiveness of one Scotland’s leading educational establishments and there is no reaction from the representatives of the people.  This is a scandal. 

Ironically the Council argued that there aren’t enough older people in Houston when they decided to sell Manse Field for residential development.  The blight this Council is causing to the Gryffe Valley Villages will drive more people to other better kept and better served areas of Strathclyde. 

A recent meeting of Gryffe Valley Rotary Club had the pleasure of greeting members from Kirkintilloch.  There they have recently opened a magnificent sports and social centre with cooperation between elected members, officers and the public.  An example of a good Council working and creating a better life style. 

It is easy to be smart about where the money could be found, but we will make some suggestions.   

The Corporate Management Team system is not working – it is preventing elected members from taking charge.  Reduce the top executives and save £500,000.  

The fall in grant settlement must be seen as a failure by the Chief Executive.  His department costs Renfrewshire £1.7 million a year to run – target 10% saving and save £170,000. 

There can be no good reason to extend ineffective bureaucracy – stop Local Area Committees and make Community Councils more effective.  Target £250,000 saving. 

Fifty percent of Environmental Services £28.6 million cost is in overhead costs.  They spend £6.5 million on cleaning and ground maintenance and a further £6.5 million on external contractors.  Their salary bill amounts to £4.7 million.  Target 10% saving in these areas and save £1.8 million. 

Planning costs £6.6 million.  Target 10% saving and save £660,000. 

Property Services costs £8.7 million, 10% saving would save £870,000. 

Finance and IT costs £14.8 million of which £11 million is in salary costs.  A 5% saving would save £550,000. 

Any of these suggestions would find more favour than slashing the Educaton Budget and would return power to the Councillors. 

The option of course was to increase Council Tax which is forecast to raise £75 million and by freezing it the Council would not get the conditional grant of £2.366 million.  To cover the full cut to the Education Budget would therefore have required a 9% increase in Council Tax.  But, such an increase would have put Renfrewshire’s charges way above the other 6 Councils Audit Scotland use for comparison purposes.

Residents in Renfrewshire already pay more than residents in West and East Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch) and North and South Lanarkshire. We think this announcement calls out to Councillors – take charge of what is happening and create a thriving, buoyant Gryffe Valley and stop the teacher cuts.