Beds Nurseries Funding
Tuesday 1st February
2011
THREE BEDFORD NURSERY SCHOOLS
FACE FUNDING GAP UNDER
NEW SPENDING RULES
AND ARE THREATENED WITH
CLOSURE
Funding formula chosen by
Bedford Council is unfair and will lead to closure of three public
Bedford nursery schools says GMB
Three public nursery schools in
Bedford, providing a total of 306 places, face serious funding gaps
under the new spending formula being proposed by Bedford Borough
Council. Unless the funding formula is changed to reflect running
costs to maintain standard these three schools face closure.
The schools are:
- Southway Early Childhood Centre, Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42
9HE with 74 places,
- Cherrytrees Nursery, Hawkins Rd, Bedford MK42 9LSwith 121
places
- Peter Pan Nursery Edward Road, Bedford, MK42 9DR with 111
places
Bedford Council is proposing a funding
formula changed in three separate ways. The changes to the funding
formula involve a move from pupil funding to place funding, changes
to funding due to changes in admissions to schools at age 4, and a
single funding formula for all 3 and 4 year olds in maintained,
private, voluntary and independent settings. There is transitional
funding grant for two years. After the transitional grant has run
out, one nursery school will face a deficit in year one and all
three will face a deficit in year two.
The funding formula being proposed by
Bedford Council does not recognise the difference between public
nursery schools and private, voluntary and independent nursery
schools. In particular it fails to recognise that public nursery
schools have higher qualified staff who are paid the recognised
agreed rates of pay. The cost of maintaining the school buildings
and grounds is higher because it is of a better standard and the
public nursery schools meets the costs of highly specialist
provision in areas of needs.
Martin Foster, GMB Branch Secretary
for members in Bedfordshire said, "Bedford Borough Council
tell GMB that they are committed to public nursery schools in
Bedford. This looks like a hollow commitment given the funding
formula the council is proposing for the public nursery schools in
the area. The funding formula that Council is working to takes no
account of the real costs of running public nursery schools to met
appropriate standards.
Bedford is proposing to fund
all the early years provision in all sectors in this same way be
they public, private, voluntary or independent. By contrast other
local councils are fixing the formula with a priority to maintain
public nursery schools and where they are doing what Bedford is
doing they are putting up additional money to protect the public
nursery schools and the standards they provide.
GMB asks why Bedford Borough
Council cannot fix a funding formula like the other councils to
ensure the viability of public nursery schools in Bedford. Unless
they do so these three nursery schools face closure."
Ends
Contact: Richard
O'Leary, GMB Organiser on 07710 631347 or Martin Foster, GMB Branch
Secretary Bedfordshire Branch on 01582 818718 or GMB Press Office:
Rose Conroy on 07974 258123 or Steve Pryle 07921 289880.