Seven years ago – long before I became a school governor or councillor – I was heavily involved in the campaign that fought proposals to turn Scarcroft, Knavesmire and Millthorpe Schools into a Multi-Academy Trust.

Those who championed this 'exciting opportunity' promised it was about protecting the three schools in difficult times.

They assured us there would be no financial benefit to senior staff, no Chief Executive or Executive Headteacher and that the two per cent top slice – the money that schools pay to Local Authorities for support services such as payroll and HR – would not change.

Staff were reassured that their existing terms and conditions would be honoured. Meanwhile, those who objected to the plans or cast doubt on the promises were branded 'troublemakers', accused of questioning peoples’ integrity and dismissed as misguided political idealogues.

Seven years on and South Bank MAT (as it became) comprises six schools, with ambitions to grow to twelve.

It has a 'Central Services' team that has grown to around ten staff, at least four of whom were recruited this year on salaries above £50,000.

There have been two Executive Headteachers, three Trust Principals and there is now a full time Chief Executive on a six-figure salary.

To fund this, the individual schools’ top slice has increased year on year and currently exceeds four per cent - more than double what was paid to the Local Authority.

Seemingly the last remaining unbroken promise from 2015, to honour staff terms and conditions, is now under attack, with a consultation underway on proposals to terminate the contracts of 43 staff – the majority teaching assistants, women and paid below £20,000 per annum – in order to re-employ them on reduced terms equating to a real-terms pay cut of up to £3,000 per year

The MAT cites financial pressures and frames these changes as driven by fairness. However, no job appraisal has taken place and it has been inferred that at least some Teaching Assistants have been unfairly paid 'for work they haven’t done' during school holidays.

Schools face significant pressure and York’s schools are amongst the lowest-funded in the country.

But it should not be those on the lowest incomes who are asked to bear the brunt of these challenges.

If the staffing structure is wrong then a proper jobs appraisal process must be followed, not a crass fire and rehire 'consultation'. If a six-figure sum must be found, there are more appropriate places to look first.

Schools are and can only be as good as the people they employ, the relationships they nurture and the trust they build.

I will always stand alongside the South Bank MAT in calling for better funding for schools.

But like many in our school community, I cannot stand by as the terms and conditions of staff - whose support is so utterly invaluable to our children and families - are levelled down in this way.

It took our school community a long time to heal after 2015 and it breaks my heart to see relationships being tested once more.