Plans to charge for instrumental tuition put on temporary hold

Orkney Islands Council has put on hold plans to start charging for instrumental tuition in Orkney’s schools.

At today’s meeting of the full council, Orkney Islands councillors voted to defer a decision on charging, and consider the issue as part of the budget setting process.

Previously, the council’s education and leisure committee had recommended that charges 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.

There were to be a number of exemptions including free tuition for those who get free school meals and a free term for new pupils. At present, around 500 pupils in the county receive instrumental tuition at a cost of around £250,000.