A campaign group instrumental in staving off funding cuts to a children's music service have vowed to protect teachers from a second wave of proposed cutbacks.
Deputy leader councillor Wes Streeting of Redbridge Council announced today that his party will no longer press ahead with plans to slash Redbridge Music Service's (RMS) funding to zero.
They no longer aim to make savings of £370,000 over the next two years by outsourcing the instrument loan and repair service and transferring full-time staff members, but will continue forward with a retirement recruitment freeze to save around £18,000.
The Labour-run council also plan to consult staff and service users over the next 12 months about savings which can be made in 2016/17 through a 'management restructure and a review of staffs terms and conditions'.
The u-turn comes after fierce opposition from supporters and service users which included high-profile musicians such as conductors Bramwell Tovey and Simon Rattle.
Critics feared the cuts would effectively privatise the instrument and repair service at the John Savage centre in Fencepiece Road, Barkingside, to the detriment of children from poorer backgrounds.
PTA group 'Friends of RMS' have called the proposed changes to staffs T&Cs an "attack".
Chairwoman Lynn Hammond, said: "We appreciate the comments made by cllr Streeting.
"It is good to see politicians listening to the public and going back to the drawing board if necessary.
"The Friends are still very concerned that the council is pressing ahead with changes to our teachers’ terms and conditions.
"Our teachers are inspiring and dedicated. They give long hours of their free time to help our children with exams and leading the myriad of bands offered at music school.
"This is possible because of the terms and conditions the teachers are currently employed on. For us, the teachers make the service and we will fight as hard as we can to make the council drop plans to attack our teachers."
Conductor Simon Rattle CBE with the signed petition at the Barbican Centre over the weekend
The group, whose online petition 'Hands off Redbridge Music Service' has over 1,600 signatures, and their Facebook page 1, 245 likes, will press ahead with their planned protest outside of Ilford Town Hall on March 5.
Bramwell Tovey (centre left) at the John Savage Centre with RMS students during a visit last week
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