South Lanarkshire Council has increased class sizes in its primary schools after a delay in legislation intended to reduce them.

The council has approved new limits of up to 30 pupils per class until the Scottish Government changes class size laws.

A spokeswoman said: “The council received assurances that the Government would bring forward regulations to set a legal limit of 25 for primary one classes from August 2010.

“This has not happened, although the Education Secretary has confirmed he will publish a consultation paper on class sizes on March 19.”

Last night, teachers in South Lanarkshire reacted angrily to the proposal.

They say youngsters are being used as a bargaining tool between the council and the Government.

Terri Connolly, vice-president of the local association of the Educational Institute of Scotland, said: “South Lanarkshire’s infants have become a political football being passed back and forth between the council and the Scottish Government.”

Last year, the SNP announced plans to introduce legislation to enforce maximum class sizes of 25 in primary one to close a legal loophole that was preventing progress.

Although the Government wants to see classes of 18 in the first three years of primary, the only class size underpinned by law is 30.

That has meant local authorities have been unable to reduce class sizes in popular schools where parents can use placing request legislation to ensure entry for their children.

Glasgow City Council has also refused to bring in the Government’s recommended reduced class sizes. Instead, education experts claimed it was more important to match teaching resources to children’s needs.