AN ATTEMPT to have controversial proposals to cut the pay of teaching assistants by up to £5,000 a year failed today (Wednesday, January 20).

Durham County Council is looking at paying TAs during school term time only – a move that would see many of the county’s 2,500 TAs, 94 per cent of whom are women, lose almost quarter of their salary.

Trade unions and many teachers and parents are furious at the proposals – and their cause has the sympathy of many Labour councillors.

But a Liberal Democrat motion to withdraw the changes immediately was rejected by a full council meeting today (Wednesday, January 20).

Councillor Owen Temple, who tabled the motion, said the cuts would widen the gender pay gap and “beggar belief”.

But Labour cabinet member Jane Brown tabled an amendment, removing the commitment to withdrawing the proposals.

Instead, she proposed council officers brief school governors on the proposals.

Cllr Brown said the proposals were in the “early stages”, no decisions had yet been taken and any final decision would rest with full council.

Labour’s Eddy Adam said the current proposals were unfair, unacceptable and an attack on the living standards of hardworking people.

Cllr Temple originally tried to table the motion at December’s full council meeting, but ran out of time.

Council leader Simon Henig said discussing the issue then, 24 hours after a consultation had ended, would have been inappropriate.

Conservative leader Richard Bell said TA contracts were a mess and needed tidying up, but he was unsure the proposals were the best solution.

Independent Alex Watson said TAs worked extremely hard and were totally committed to educating “our children”.

Lib Dem Nigel Martin challenged the validity of the Labour amendment, saying it removed the thrust of Cllr Temple’s motion, but his claim was ruled out by Colette Longbottom, the council’s head of legal and democratic services, and the Labour-amended motion was passed by 71 votes to 21.

The council has offered those affected a one-off lump sum to help them cope with the changes and is encouraging schools to offer TAs extra hours where needed. Any changes would come into effect in September.