ANGRY head teachers in Ilkley have hit back at suggestions that teachers were to blame for a massive rise in Bradford's Council Tax.

A budget agreed by the Conservative and Liberal Democrats on the hung council included £5.6 million for more than 180 teachers who had not found permanent jobs following the education restructure from a three to a two-tier system.

The budget means that Council Tax payers will have to face a rise of 5.8 per cent from next April, a figure around twice the rate of inflation.

Around 180 teachers employed in school in the district are now surplus to

requirements but they cannot be sacked under Bradford Council's 'no redundancy' policy. They are still working in schools across the district, including Ilkley Grammar School.

Richard Jennings, the head of Ilkley Grammar School Lower School site on Valley Drive, said that teachers were not to blame for the Council Tax rise, but Bradford Council was.

Mr Jennings said that the Grammar School Lower School had around six

teachers who still needed to be found

permanent jobs.

"It isn't their fault that they haven't got jobs, it is Bradford's for mismanaging the budget - Bradford did not do its sums right," said Mr Jennings.

He added: "Bradford's lack of re-organisational skills have meant that they haven't balanced the budget."

Mr Jennings and Peter Wood the head of the Grammar School Upper Site on Cowpasture Road, released a joint statement to the Gazette.

It says that teachers did not 'fail to find permanent jobs' through any fault of their own.

Staff from middle schools which were closed down were placed in new primary and secondary schools as part of the reorganisation process.

One of the main reasons why some teachers remained unplaced in permanent posts was that schools did not have enough money in their budgets to employ them.

"These are excellent teachers, many of whom have held senior posts in middle schools. They are making an excellent contribution to the new primary and secondary schools. Schools such as ours which are on two sites could not function adequately without these extra teachers.

"As far as this school is concerned there is a great deal to show for the outlay on the salaries of our six additional teachers. Without them we would be unable to operate on two sites.

"It is therefore wrong to say that the teachers are 'not needed'. They bring with them considerable expertise and experience and are currently a very important part of our staff."

Both heads pointed out that the disruption caused by the Bradford schools reorganisation had left teachers not knowing where they would end up in the future after the experience of seeing their previous schools go out of existence.

They said: "These are highly-qualified, experienced teachers who have already gone through the trauma of middle school closure and who continue to be uncertain about their future. Their situation needs to be resolved with care and with due regard to the years of excellent service they have given in our schools."