Young musicians last week presented a 5000-signature petition to PKC opposing savings to its Instrumental Music Service (IMS) agreed last year.
Led by Community School of Auchterarder pupil and Perth Youth Orchestra percussionist Eva Seba, the petition was part of a campaign which also included protests in the city centre last spring.
Last February, PKC agreed net recurring savings to the IMS totalling £227,000 over the coming three years, which included a reduction of 3.5 full-time equivalent Music Instructor staff posts.
Cuts also included the reintroduction of charges for participation in Central Music Groups such as Perth Youth Orchestra and full cost recovery for Music Camps – two charges which now fall to families.
Ahead of the PKC 2025/26 budget meeting on Wednesday February 26 organisations involved in youth music have written to each political party calling for a reversal of last year’s decision.
Pointing to a Freedom of Information request Perth Youth Orchestra president Eric Scott said participation in Central Music Groups had declined from 500 in 2023/24 to 382 in 2024/25.
Since February 2024, IMS tuition has been partially withdrawn from four primary schools and fully withdrawn from eight local primary schools, including the Carse of Gowrie ward and Letham.
Mr Scott commented: “As parents and organisations who support opportunities for young musicians locally, we have spent the past year advocating for the IMS and challenging these cuts.
“We are calling for all political parties in the Council to revisit and reverse this decision.
“We believe the impacts on the service and outcomes for young people were not made clear to Councillors at the point of the decision-making, and that this issue needs to be urgently revisited.
“We can already see the negative impact of the agreed savings with Central Music Group numbers obtained under a Freedom of Information (FoI) request made to the Council.
“Participation had been climbing steadily since the music groups restarted post-covid, but this year’s figures show a sharp decline, meaning young people are missing out on critical opportunities in their music education and development.
“It is our understanding that retiring staff in 2024 have not been replaced due to the savings pressures; this has already resulted in an inequality of provision in Perth and Kinross, with areas such as the Carse of Gowrie adversely affected.”
A PKC spokesperson said: ‘We would again acknowledge the concerns being raised through this petition around the provision of the Instrumental Music Service.
“In the current, very challenging financial climate for councils it is necessary to look carefully at the funding available to us and how this can best be used to deliver services to our residents.
“Very difficult decisions had to be made at the Council’s budget setting meeting in late February 2024 in this context.
“We remain keenly aware of the contribution that IMS staff and pupils make to the arts on both a local and national basis and would stress that the reconfiguration of staff and other measures has been the subject of detailed consideration. We wish to ensure equitable access to the IMS and its associated opportunities for all young people.”