Lib Dems highlight govt. grant for music service and call on Tories to support a 'sensible way forward'

Leicestershire Liberal Democrats have welcomed confirmation that the County Council will receive £754,827 funding for the County Music Service, for the next 12 months. Confirmation of this funding means that the service is safe for at least the next 12 months and there is no need to reorganise the current arrangements in the short term.

At the recent Budget meeting Lib Dem's proposed an amendment seeking a delay in redundancies and a commitment until the new National Music Strategy is published later in the year and the Tories voted against it.

Group Leader Simon Galton said: "We have been lobbying to retain the funding and highlight the complete lack of sense in making 70 peripatetic music teachers redundant and losing a valuable service that brings in £1m before a new national strategy is published later in the year.

With this announcement the sensible way forward is to work with the City (or another neighbouring authority) to submit a joint bid to run a music hub from 2012. We are now calling on the County Tories to commit to a sensible way forward to give reassurance to pupils, parents and teachers."

• The County Council received £744,457 in 2010, in 2011/12 it will be £754,827
• From this allocation the service also generates £1m from parents buying extra lessons, this money could be lost if teachers are made redundant.
• The music hub arrangement is likely to be the new model for running music services, but this will be confirmed in the National Strategy later in the year. It is expected that bids from local authorities, social enterprises and charities will be allowed.