Exclusive: Lib Dems call for action on vacant teaching posts in north-east
Updated: 23/04/2021, 5:53 pm
© PA
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have called on all parties to back their commitment to give new teachers longer contracts, after revealing almost 400 posts were re-advertised across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in just one year.
Figures released under freedom of information legislation show 170 teaching posts in Aberdeen and 209 teaching posts in Aberdeenshire were re-advertised in 2019-20.
We exclusively revealed last week the party’s manifesto pledge to offer a new, optional, three-year package for probationer teachers.
They believe this will help local authorities recruit hard-to-fill roles, particularly across rural Scotland.
Exclusive: Lib Dems call for action on vacant teaching posts in north-east
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by Callum Main and David Proctor 21/04/2021, 7:54 am
Updated: 21/04/2021, 7:55 am
© Mhorvan Park/DC Thomson
The maps show where the latest cases are in the north-east.
The number of confirmed north-east Covid-19 cases in the last week is below 100, according to the latest figures.
Between April 11 and April 17, 99 cases were confirmed in the region.
This is a decrease of 20 (17%) on the previous seven-day period.
It comes as the first minister confirmed more lockdown restrictions will be lifted next week.
How is the positivity rate calculated?
Coronavirus cases can be put into context by looking at them as a rate per 100,000 population.
This rate is then categorised into one of five bands by Public Health Scotland (PHS). If the number of cases in the seven-day period is two or fewer, it is marked as suppressed.
Updated: 21/04/2021, 6:02 pm
© Chris Sumner/Aberdeen Journals
Cosla president Alison Evison.
One of the north-east’s most senior councillors has called on parties to make local government a priority – and admitted she is “disappointed” by the lack of attention it has received in the run-up to next month’s election.
Aberdeenshire councillor Alison Evison is president of Cosla, the association which represents all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
The North Kincardine representative urged the main political parties to prioritise local government as voters prepare to go to the polls on May 6, describing councils as “the anchor in our communities”.
Ms Evison, who is a Scottish Labour councillor, said it was “disappointing” leaders had made little mention of the issue while on the campaign trail.
16/04/2021, 4:30 am
New teachers should be given longer contracts to help fill vacancies across the north and north-east, Lib Dems claim.
The party makes the call in its Holyrood election manifesto, we can reveal.
The new contracts would include the option of extending from one to three years for probationers.
Lib Dems also say they would expand remote teacher training opportunities, if they were in power at the Scottish Parliament.
Regions including the Highlands and Aberdeenshire have struggled to fill all posts and keep people in the communities once the contract is over.
‘Better opportunity’
Rosemary Bruce, a party candidate in the North East region, said: “Our plan for new three-year packages will remove the normal end-of-probation precariousness that many new teachers dread. It will also give people a better opportunity to build a life in that community, which should encourage more people to make their posting long-term.
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