North Lanarkshire Labour Provost has blocked SNP motion to save Classroom Assistant posts
SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston, Fulton MacGregor, has today (Wednesday) called on the Labour Provost of North Lanarkshire to allow an SNP motion to save 198 Classroom Assistant posts.
The council announced on 19 May, one day after the new Labour/Tory administration was formed, that they would be ‘deleting’ 198 classroom assistant posts throughout the local authority, leaving primary schools with just one each and secondary schools with none at all.
The SNP group on the council put forward a motion to reverse the decision, which was due to be debated at the next meeting of the council on 22 June.
However, the Provost has blocked the motion, describing it as ‘not competent’ without explaining further. This means that the item will not be on the agenda at the council meeting and cannot be discussed.
Commenting, Fulton MacGregor MSP said:
‘I am absolutely disgusted that a Labour Provost, elected after a deal with the Tory group, would block such an important motion from being discussed. If the administration truly believe that this is the right decision, they should have no fear about allowing the issue to be discussed and voted upon.
‘Classroom assistants play a vital part in our education system and while the SNP Government are working to increase attainment, the Labour/Tory North Lanarkshire Council seem to have the opposite aim.
‘Not only are people going to lose their jobs as a result of this decision, children who require additional support in school will suffer as a result of this awful decision.
‘I have submitted a motion to the parliament calling on this decision to be reversed. I have also been contacted by many concerned parents and staff who are working together on a large-scale campaign to save these posts. I hope the council will take notice and come to the right decision on this issue.’
Fulton MacGregor 