Guernsey education cuts 'will not affect music support'

The chairman of the Friends of Guernsey Music Centre has said support for young musicians in the island will continue in spite of education cuts.

Bob Beebe said: "If there was a change, I still think there would be a very strong support for the music service."

Education Minister Robert Sillars has confirmed the Schools Music Service is under review as his department looks to make £7m of savings by October 2014.

The budget cuts are part of the States Financial Transformation Programme.

'Fabulous show'

The five-year programme has been designed to find a total of £31.8m of recurring savings to erase the island's annual budget deficit.

Mr Beebe highlighted the public enthusiasm evident at a recent open morning at the Guernsey Music Centre at the Grammar School, where "close to 1,000" young musicians performed.

"It was a fabulous show of what music we have in the island at the moment," he said.

Mr Beebe said the Friends charity supported the music service with between £10,000 and £20,000 each year and he believed there was sufficient good will in the community to ensure it would continue.

The service provides music lessons for pupils and operates a grant scheme which pays for the hire of instruments.