Council agrees £12m savings plan

The council has made £9m of efficiency savings in the past year

A three-year plan to save almost £12m has been agreed in principle by a council in southern Scotland.

The proposals have been approved by the corporate policy committee of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

About one third of the overall reduction will come out of the region's education budget.

However, council officials have said that the savings will be based on a restructuring process rather than any cuts in the classroom.

Education director Colin Grant said everything would be done to keep the impact of the changes to a minimum.

"Given a choice nobody would be looking to have any savings and we would always look to develop and increase what we are able to spend on education," he said.

"I think the main thing people need to be reassured about is that where that challenge exists we try everything we can to make sure it doesn't directly impact on teachers and pupils and parents."