Dear Sir,
May we assure residents and Teaching Assistants of this: the Labour Group at Durham County Council has NOT voted, neither have we the seven Aycliffe Labour County Councillors voted, to “cut teaching assistants wages” as Maud Gray alleged in last week’s Newton News. The accusation is unjustified and totally untrue.
Local Authorities throughout the country have been for a number of years moving to review TAs’ terms and conditions, and Durham is one of the last authorities to visit this issue. A consultation was held last year which ended on 7 December. The returns are currently being considered, and the Council is speaking with the Unions.
At the moment, we must stress, NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. Readers will appreciate, given the personal, complex and legal nature of the matter, why we have been careful not to comment.  When the issues have been resolved, and after a full report, a final decision will be made by the County Council; then, of course, we will be happy to explain how we have voted.
Yours,
County Councillors Eddy Adam, John D Clare, Mike Dixon, Joan Gray, Jed Hillary, Kate Hopper and Sarah Iveson