Glasgow City Council is facing a £34 million funding black hole that may have to be plugged by cutting vital services.
Free food for children during school holidays, services for dyslexic pupils and swimming lessons for primary aged kids are among those facing the axe, as well as hiking crematorium charges and cutting teaching staff.
Documents seen by the Daily Record show that the council is facing a funding gap of £33.9m next year.
According to the documents, officials have produced options that would fill most of the deficit, with many affecting low-income families.
One option is removing the Children's Holiday Food Programme, which provides meals to pupils outside of term time.
Cutting this scheme would save £2m and council officials argued: “As there is now new national funding sources to support holiday food and activity programmes it is proposed the council removes the CHFP and utilises the new national funding instead.”
Officials have also estimated that around £4m could be saved by scrapping nurture provision across the city’s schools and nurseries.
However, the document warns: “Nurture has had a demonstrable positive impact on attainment and improvements in attendance and exclusions. This would significantly impact on those children most in need.”
Another £1.4m could be saved if there is an “adjustment” to staffing ratios for additional support learning.
According to the document, reducing staffing levels for the 20,000 pupils across Glasgow who use English as an additional Language would also save £1.7m.
Other possible cuts include saving £340,000 for getting rid of the dyslexia support service and £173,000 for discontinuing a programme providing swimming to around 5,500 pupils.
More broadly, officials argue that plugging the funding gap will inevitably mean a fall in teaching posts:
“In order to meet the level of savings target required the service cannot avoid a significant reduction in teacher staffing levels. This will require a reduction of over 1,200 FTE over the three year period.”
Possible income generators include reviewing prices for bereavement services, linking the cost of resident parking permits to vehicle emissions and increasing on-street parking charges.
It is understood budget options are being considered by the political groups on the council. Glasgow will set its budget next month.
A council source said the options were drawn up by officers and are not the proposals of the SNP administration.
Glasgow City Council has been asked to comment.
