Rise 'will empty borough coffers'
TEACHERS
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Education Correspondent
Twelve inner-London boroughs would not have enough money within their permitted government spending assessments to fund the teachers' 3.75 per cent award, Labour said last night.
The party's education spokesman, David Blunkett, predicted that the finances of more than half of all local education authorities will be even worse off than last year once they have paid the teachers' rise.
The increase, which will be phased in by December, will mean that 74 of the 119 authorities are worse off, according to figures published by Mr Blunkett.
"The Government is being dishonest over school funding today. Ministers must now explain how increased class sizes and cuts in teaching posts, books and equipment can be avoided," he said.
However, local authorities predicted that while the settlement would be tight, there would not be a repeat of last year's funding crisis. A campaign against cuts was mounted as teachers' jobs were lost and as class sizes grew above 30 in many primary schools.
David Whitbread, education officer of the Association of County Councils, said most schools had budgeted for pay rises of less than 3 per cent this year.
"Those who kept spending up last year will have run out of reserves. It is going to be very tight," he said.
Don Foster, the Liberal Democrats' education spokesman, said that in refusing to fund the award the Government was effectively cutting millions of pounds from school budgets.
"As a result, teachers face redundancy, class sizes will continue to rise and buildings to crumble," he said.
The award will also allow for higher payments to new recruits in order to encourage entrants into shortage areas such as modern languages, and will extend the discretionary payments available to teachers who undertake in-service training at weekends or during holidays.
How the salaries compare
TEACHERS
Grade Present 1.12.96
Graduate entrant pounds 13,350 pounds 14,001
Maximum for classroom teacher pounds 32,169 pounds 33,375
Maximum for head of
400-pupil primary school pounds 35,709 pounds 37,047
Maximum for head of
700-pupil secondary school pounds 47,223 pounds 48,993
Maximum for head pounds 53,559 pounds 55,566
HEALTH SERVICE
Present 1.12.96
Staff nurse from 11,660 from 11,893
Ward sister from 14,801 from 15,097
Junior doctor from 13,930 from 15,019
Registrar from 19,705 from 20,942
ARMED FORCES
Rank Present 1.12.96
ARMY
Field Marshal 121,130 124,850
General 97,430 101,230
Sergeant 16,766- 17,556- 20,232 21,188
Private 9,476- 9,979- 14,688 15,468
ROYAL NAVY
Admiral of the Fleet 121,130 124,850
Admiral 97,430 101,230
Commander 40,381- 42,281- 44,626 46,734
Able Seaman 9,476- 9,979- 14,688 15,468
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Marshal of the RAF 121,130 124,850
Wing Commander 40,381- 42,281-
44,626 46,734
Aircraftman 9,476- 9,979-
14,688 15,468
JUDGES
Present 1.12.96
Grp 1: Lord Chief Justice 124,138 132,147
Grp 2: Law Lords and others 114,874 122,203
Grp 3: Appeal Court judges
and others 110,137 117,164
Grp 4: High Court judge
and others 98,957 104,415
Grp 6: Circuit judges and others 72,524 76,703
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