Rise 'will empty borough coffers'

TEACHERS

FRAN ABRAMS

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