JOHN Swinney has gone to war with Scotland's councils over the falling number of teachers in the country's schools.

The finance secretary announced a £51million funding package to help local authorities recruit new staff.

However, he drew a furious response from councils when he told them they would not receive a penny unless they proved they would maintain teacher numbers.

Unveiling his final Budget plans for the financial year starting in April, Mr Swinney also pledged extra cash to tackle another growing problem for the Scottish government, worsening NHS waiting times.

Using part of the cash added to Scotland's budget in December, as a result of increased health spending in England, he announced a £31.5million "performance fund" to improve care and cuts waits.

MSPs approved Mr Swinney's £30billion budget by 64 votes to 53 with three abstentions. Labour and the Lib Dems opposed the spending plan, claiming it failed to address problems in the health service.

The Conservatives voted against in protest at proposals the land and buildings transaction tax, which replaces stamp duty and increases the charge for buying luxury homes.

The number of teachers in Scotland's schools fell to a 10 year low last year, despite an agreement between the Scottish Government and Cosla, the council umbrella body, to maintain staffing levels and prevent pupil-teacher ratios from rising further.

The total of 50,824 was 250 fewer than the previous year and more than 4200 down on 2007 when the SNP took power.

Mr Swinney did not exercise his right to fine councils where the number of teachers fell but his patience ran out last Friday after Cosla failed to reach agreement on a £49million funding offer.

Addressing MSPs, he warned councils which failed to maintain teacher numbers would have their share of the funding clawed back.

He said: "When specific and sufficient funding is available to maintain the employment of teachers it is not acceptable that the number of teachers declined slightly last year."

Cosla president Cllr David O'Neill said he was "outraged and appalled" by a "blatant attempt" to control local government.

He said: "We have consistently argued that focusing on teacher numbers won't deliver the improvements in attainment that we all desire.

"The best people to take decisions on education work in Councils not in St Andrews House."

Scottish Lib Dem education spokesman Liam McArthur said: "It is unacceptable that the SNP government blame local councils for the government's failure to meet their target on teacher numbers. "Whilst the SNP pick a fight with Councils in the run up to the general election it is our schools and pupils who are caught in the middle."

Jackie Baillie, Labour's finance spokeswoman, said the SNP had "failed miserably" to protect teacher numbers.

The largest fall in the number of teachers was in Fife, where 67 posts were lost,followed by Edinburgh with a cut

of 63 teachers.

There were also

reductions in the Scottish Borders, Dundee, South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire.

Uncertainty over the future membership of Cosla, which a number of councils are threatening to leave, proved an obstacle to striking a national deal.

Mr Swinney allocated extra funding to health a day after figures showed health boards missing a government target to treat 95 per cent A&E patients within four hours.

Across Scotland, 89.9 per cent of patients were dealt with on time last month but thousands of people were left waiting

more than eight hours.

The new £31.5million performance fund comes from a £127million boost last month, when Scotland received its share of additional health spending in England. Health Secretary Shona Robison has already announced a £98million initiative to tackle delayed discharge, or 'bed blocking', also using the extra cash.

Other new spending included an extra £20million to insulate homes and £4million for cycle paths.