Teachers’ award may dent other services

Local government organisations have criticised
the government’s increase in teachers’ pay.

Local Government Association chairperson Sir
Jeremy Beecham has written to local government secretary Stephen
Byers to express “surprise” and “disappointment” that the
government has announced the teachers’ pay award before the
publication of the final local government finance settlement this
week.

Beecham said that the total increase of 4.1
per cent will cost councils £380m, making a huge hole in the
overall budget for local education services and having a large
knock-on effect in other areas.