A TEACHING union has accused Fife Council of “striking the wrong note” in their budget proposals for February next year.

Fife EIS publicity officer David Farmer said they will campaign against options such as cutting the secondary school day and removing teacher supply budgets and music tuition.

He said proposals to review the educational psychologist service were “an attack on the most vulnerable in our schools” at a time when there has been a greater focus on addressing child mental health issues.

And Mr Farmer added: “Then there is the instrumental music service under attack again with a proposal to ‘remove music tuition’. This most definitely strikes the wrong note. For those children and families for whom this service provides both a respite and an opportunity to develop themselves in a unique way.

“The loss of this service would amount to cultural amputation and Fife EIS and our members in the music service will campaign robustly against this and all of the other proposed cuts.”

Fife Council co-leader, Councillor David Ross, said there was a “significant difference” between the savings proposals put forward by officers and what will be acceptable to the joint administration.

“In particular they should look at what savings have been rejected by councillors in previous years before jumping to conclusions – the music service being a case in point,” he said.

Co-leader, Cllr David Alexander, added: “We also have to put forward a balanced budget. Any suggestions on how we achieve that would be welcome.”