EDUCATION chiefs have denied claims that Lochies School is to lose three inclusion support workers as a result of council budget cuts.

Councillor Ellen Forson, convener of education for Clackmannanshire Council, has provided "assurances" that upcoming voluntary redundancies will not result in three job losses at the school.

However, when asked to clarify what level of cuts the staff could expect to face, she said she "couldn't give a number".

The councillor added that a review of the education service was ongoing but reiterated that all statutory posts will be safeguarded.

Concerns were first raised after the budget was laid before a full council meeting last month.

Labour councillor George Matchett claimed that three inclusion workers were earmarked for redundancies this year.

No effort was made to dispute this claim during the meeting, or by the council when contacted by the Advertiser last week.

However, in a later statement, Councillor Forson said: “The council budget has to be balanced and that means having to take difficult decisions; however, within the savings proposed for council services we have made absolutely every effort we can to protect the quality of the services we provide.

“Overall spending on education in Clackmannanshire has not only been protected, it has actually been increased this year and I am happy to provide assurances that three inclusion support workers will not be lost from Lochies School as a result of this budget."

This preceded a statement from Clackmannanshire Council which reiterated their position of pursuing voluntary redundancies only.

As reported last month, the council will be looking to cut around 107 full-time positions from the books, with 13 coming from the education service.

A council spokesperson said: "The posts are distributed across services, including 13 in the education service. No posts are being made compulsorily redundant and no postholder will lose their employment with the council unless they choose to accept the voluntary redundancy offer.

"In light of the decisions taken at council, the education service is reviewing all support staff and ensuring that provision is made for children and young people with additional support needs."

Councillor Matchett said he questioned the executive at a committee meeting and at full council earlier this month and is adamant he was "quite openly told that three inclusion support workers were being removed from Lochies".

He told the Advertiser: "At the full council meeting, that's what I was told and at that time Ellen Forson did not challenge my comments. If she had disputed it, that would have been the time to clarify.

"There seems to me that there is some camouflage action going on at the minute. They didn't give this decision due consideration and I truly hope they reverse it."

Earlier today, when asked if the administration had since reviewed its stance with regards to Lochies, councillor Forson said: "There's been no change in policy. It's never been the case that Lochies were to lose three inclusion support workers."

She added: "We are moving to a cluster model and so everything has to be looked at...but the review [of the education service] still has to be taken."

Meanwhile, Craig Miller, Scottish Labour Candidate for Clackmannanshire & Dunblane, started a petition calling on the administration to save Lochies from any cuts.

He claims that more than 1,000 people have already signed through online and hand written declarations.

Mr Miller added: "The work done by all the staff at Lochies can be transformational for the children they work with; it would be a travesty to put the quality of care at any risk by reducing the number of staff.

"I hope that the outcry will make the administration change their mind and do the right thing and make sure that no staff will be lost from this fantastic school."