Plans to axe classroom assistants and pupil support teachers in Edinburgh's schools have emerged ahead of the council's "difficult" budget meeting to plug a £76m financial black hole.
Education could be among the areas worst affected with proposed cutbacks into the millions, whilst funding for people with disabilities and difficulties with speech also face being chopped.
However council chiefs have failed to set a balanced budget. An overspend of £3.7m remains and officials have warned councillors that "further proposals to increase income or reduce expenditure (or a combination of both) therefore require to be identified as a matter of urgency."
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And their challenges will not end there - assuming all recommended savings and efficiencies are made the council will still need to find an additional £39.5m to balance the books next year and £91.8m by 2026/27.
A report setting out potential spending plans said £4m could be raised to plug the gap this year if council tax was increased by 4.2% instead of 3%. However, councillors are likely to be reluctant to choose this route amid the cost of living crisis.
It added that Scottish Government has increased by £2.4m which is "slightly below this average".
Councillors will be asked to approve £2.4m cuts to teaching assistant posts which were created to "provide additional support during the pandemic".
The report said they can "now be removed without impacting on core teaching activities or core support activities"
It added: "While this proposal does propose a reduction in transition teacher numbers it is anticipated that the number of teachers required by City of Edinburgh Council will continue to increase as a result of rising rolls."
In addition the number of education welfare officers would be reduced to save £400k under the plans, whilst £800k would be cut from speech and language therapy as the council plans to "shift balance of resources to benefit the most vulnerable".
Meanwhile Edinburgh Council's 'Taxicard' scheme which helps people with disabilities take taxis for cheaper is set to be axed altogether.
This will be done on a phased basis until 2024/25, beginning with a £120k funding cut this year.
The council said demand for the service "has reduced in recent years".
Furthermore the local authority has calculated that £2.3m could be saved by making "approximately 600 properties" which are currently empty available for use by homeless people, reducing spend on temporary accommodation.
The report said: "The empty properties will begin to become available from May 2023.
"This would have a positive impact on outcomes, as the Council would be able reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation, the council will have fewer empty properties and the cost of temporary accommodation will be further reduced as more households will be supported in order to prevent them becoming homeless".
However, the report, which will be debated at a City Chambers finance meeting on Tuesday (February 7) does not factor in other looming financial pressures, such as a 12% pay rise for staff which council unions have called for.
Teachers are already holding strikes over their demands for an improved pay increase, and further industrial action is likely.
The report also points out that no allowance has ben made for costs associated with the public holiday for King Charles III coronation in May - something which is set to go before councillors on February 9.
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