Ref. 25258-45ONE of the choices on offer in the Swindon public consultation over council tax would be illegal if enacted.

Swindon Council is telling the public that £500,000 could be pruned from funding for schools.

And this option to help keep the new council tax rise to a single figure is included in a questionnaire which is to go out to the public this weekend.

But the council has no discretion over money earmarked for education.

By law, it has to be passported bureaucratic speak for passed untouched to schools.

"This is a complete con," said Coun Jim D'Avila (Lab, Moredon).

"There's no way the Government would allow this money not to be passported directly to schools.

"Headteachers will be up in arms and rightly so when they learn they're being politically exploited in this cynical way.

"The way education has been turned around in Swindon is one of the great success stories of this town and now those teachers who have achieved so much in such a short time will feel they're being kicked in the teeth.

"It's not so much that they'll believe they'll be robbed of their financial entitlement because they know the law better than this council's Tory administration.

"But it's the insult that will hurt that the councillors are prepared to use them as pawns in their grubby game."

At a special meeting of the cabinet, Coun D'Avila demanded the option should be deleted from the questionnaire to avoid the council making a fool of itself.

But Coun Ian Dobie (Con, Haydon Wick), who chaired the meeting because council leader Coun Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawn) had lost his voice, said it was too late for changes because the questionnaire was already in the process of being printed and he was not prepared to have it recalled.

In defence of the choice that could never be implemented if chosen, Coun Dobie argued that the options were no more than specimens and were intended to demonstrate to the public the tough task faced by councillors.

Nick Capstick, the headteacher of Drove Primary School, said it was absolutely demoralising that the council could even think about including education cuts in the public consultation exercise.

"This shows that our politicians aren't taking education seriously and also that they lack foresight," he said.

Mr Capstick said that schools similar to his in almost every other authority would be receiving £100,000 more every year in their allocation.

"Teachers I recruit are appalled by the low level of our resources," he said.

"I know at least five other headteachers who are looking for jobs outside the Swindon boundary and no wonder.

"Unless there are radical changes, Swindon will always be a second-rate town and the council attitude is a good example why."

The public is being consulted on three notional council tax increases of five per cent, seven and a half per cent and ten per cent, although the outcome will not be binding.

The result of the public consultation will be reported to the cabinet on February 4.

The cabinet will then propose a budget to the full council on February 12.

If changes are recommended at that meeting, the full council will reconsider the issue on February 23, when a final decision must be made.

Other options available for people to choose

The boxes available for people to tick include:

Delay building the new central library saving £1million

Close two care homes saving £750,000

Reduce the subsidies for the elderly and children travelling on public transport by cutting the concessionary fares available saving £500,000

Cut community grants to the voluntary sector saving £500,000

Widen the charging for some Social Services £200,000

Reduce Social Services grants to the voluntary sector saving £250,000

Stop the free provision of black refuse sacks to households without easy access for refuse lorries saving £85,000

Close a number of out of town public toilets saving £40,000

Michael Litchfield