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Next week Chancellor George Osborne announces what could be, the biggest cuts in Government spending for decades. In anticipation of this review, all this week ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland are holding a series of debates around Scotland to assess the impact they might have on council services, looking at what these cuts might mean for you and your area.

Last night's Chairman for the North East Public Spending Debate was senior broadcast journalist, Steven Duff who highlights some of the issues below:

North East Public Spending Review - Aberdeen Grammar

Education and proposals to close or merge Aberdeen secondary schools topped the agenda at a ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Scotland debate on public spending in Aberdeen.

Held in Aberdeen Grammar - incidentally not one of the schools under threat - other topics discussed included health and care provision for the elderly, local government costs, pensions and quangos.

is currently consulting on plans that could see the number of secondary schools reduced from 12 to 8. The Lib Dem/SNP administration on the authority insist its not about cost cutting and instead is an attempt to make the schools estate in the city more efficient. Some schools are below capacity.

However Harlaw academy in the city centre is not. One of its most famous ex-pupils is singer . Parents and pupils there have launched a high profile campaign to save it being merged with Hazlehead academy.

Murdo McLean, the Chairman of Harlaw Academy Parent Council believed it was about cost cutting, he said "The school is full to capacity. We feel that the city needs two academies in the city centre."

The panel representing all four main political consisted of the SNP's , Conservative , Labour's and the Lib Dem's .

Listen to the North East Public Spending Debate tonight at 2205 on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland and available to listen again on iPlayer.