Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Durham County Council approves new teaching contracts
Durham County Council has approved plans to terminate the 2,700 teaching assistant contracts and employ the teaching staff on new agreements with different terms and conditions.
The new contracts will mean teaching assistants will not be paid during school holidays, in a bid to generate a savings of £3 million per year. According to Durham County Council, the move would bring staff in-line with other employees and avoid the risk of equal pay challenges being made in the future.
The council report on the proposal stated: “The council has equal pay obligations and the current arrangements expose the council to the risk of equal pay claims that would have no realistic defence.
“Continuing such arrangements in this knowledge knowingly exposes the council to expensive claims that it will ultimately lose and would be an inappropriate approach to the council’s fiduciary obligation to protect the public purse.”
Nonetheless, teaching unions have opposed the new contracts, claiming the changes would cause teaching assistants to lose around £400 per month and have warned they would be balloting members for industrial action.
Helen Metcalf, Unison’s regional officer, said: "This is a devastating blow for the 2,700 teaching assistants in the county, who now face being driven into poverty and relying on food banks through losing £200 - £400 per month of their salary."
Latest News
19/04/2024 - 11:17
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell has been charged with embezzlement in an investigation into SNP finances.
19/04/2024 - 10:55
The Scottish Government has announced a new suite of climate action measures aimed at tackling climate change.
18/04/2024 - 10:19
Pensioners in five Scottish local authorities will be the first to be eligible for a new disability benefit (subject to parliamentary approval of r
18/04/2024 - 09:41
Residents and visitors to Brecon in Wales recently took part in the world's first full-town digital deposit return scheme.
17/04/2024 - 11:58
Applications have opened for a £1.3 million competition to 'transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation'.
Company Focus
Just Lanyards is a subsidiary name of Gifts 2 Impress Limited, who have been trading for over 25 years, we therefore pride ourselves in having endless experience covering all aspects of the promotional merchandise industry.
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
Supplier Profiles
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
