Guernsey’s States is being asked to make huge savings in budgets across all departments, the FTP. If it is getting less likely that departments will meet these FTP targets can it really be wise to implement plans for major spending?
It’s rumoured that Education is about to consult for the second time on what computer equipment they would prefer and has added another £2 million to the budget to pay for it!
The same cash-strapped department desperate to save money has earmarked nearly £2 million a year to pay for 15 hours of free pre-school education.
The UK-based consultancy firm Capita has already received £1.8 million. It appears this money has been paid out by Treasury & Resources but Capita will also get a one-off payment of 6.5% of any recurring savings made by school closures. If Education is right in its calculations that’s another £468k.
Education has estimated that closing St. Andrew’s primary will result in savings of between £600k and £700k per year. However only 10% of this is the cost of running the school, the rest goes on paying staff. So if it is true that 90% of primary school staff are local then where are the existing teachers at St. Andrew’s going to teach? Are the purported vacancies that Education claim exist actually in the primary sector or elsewhere?
It is commendable to want to offer free pre-school provision and many St. Andrew’s parents would applaud the States for introducing it but only if the island could afford it and only if it wasn’t at the expense of successful primary schools. This must be an area where priorities have to be chosen. Realistically how many parents will be able to get a part time job of 15 hours per week or simply extend their working hours? If it was that easy there’d be no unemployment and a vibrant economy.
However, if all this money is being spent now what is going to happen to these new and existing projects when Education’s budget is supposed to be cut by another £1.1 million in 2018?
How can Guernsey afford to be dishing out the odd million pound here and there albeit on laudable projects when it doesn’t have the money to keep excellent and vital schools open now?