Talks on primary classroom assistants' posts

Talks are being held between councillors on a plan to scrap all classroom assistants' posts in Highland primary schools, the BBC understands.

It has been proposed to end 156 full-time equivalent jobs, which are filled by about 342 people.

In their place, 60 full-time equivalent jobs as learning support auxiliaries would be created and filled by 150 people on a part-time basis.

The talks come ahead of Highland Council's budget meeting on Thursday.

BBC Scotland understands that in a series of pre-budget meeting discussions Liberal Democrat councillors have proposed a compromise to the plans.

Parents on Skye have staged protests twice this week over the planned cut to classroom assistants.

A group of parents from Thurso had also been preparing to join demonstrations in Inverness on Thursday as councillors met to discuss cuts and the local authority's budget for 2011/12.