Councillors recommend charging for instrument tuition in schools

A charge for instrumental tuition is set to be introduced in Orkney’s schools.

The islands council’s education and leisure committee has recommended that charges should be put in place on a sliding scale of £120 for a first child, £60 for a second and no charge for any subsequent children.

At present around 500 pupils in the county receive instrumental tuition at a cost of around £250,000.

Councillors also recommended that charging for instrument hire be introduced at £15 or £30, depending on the value of the instrument.

It is estimated that the new charges could raise more than £40,000 per year.

The recommendation will now go to full council in December to be ratified.