3,000 council staff appeal victories show system is flawed - Farron

Thousands of Cumbria County Council staff have had their pay reviewed at the end of stage 2 of the controversial single status scheme. Local MP Tim Farron says that this shows that the scheme is flawed and should be stopped immediately

Some 2,800 of the 3,000 successful appeals were from teaching assistants. The annual salary of the lowest-paid teaching assistant would have fallen from £14,733 to £11,143. It will now drop to £11,893, still a cut of 19 per cent.

Tim has been leading the campaign to the make the county council see sense over their controversial single status plans. Over 1100 people have signed a petition asking for the council to think again about the plans.

Tim has regularly voiced his opposition to the plans in Westminster and has recently called on the government to step in to mediate the process.

Commenting today Tim said: "Sadly these victories are hollow. People have received letters on their doormats today saying they have won their appeals but still see their pay cut by a massive 24%. It really is time the County Council started to listened to the public and dropped this shambolic and unfair scheme. MP's from all sides have joined this campaign.

"Our campaign must continue if we are to protect the role of teaching assistants in our schools - and to safeguard the quality of education in Cumbria"