Free early morning childcare may face the axe at schools
PARENTS may have to pay for early morning childcare to help a council balance its books.
Seventy-five primary schools in Gwynedd offer free childcare between 8am and 8.50am, with free breakfasts served as part of a Welsh Government initiative.
But cutting the amount of money spent on morning school childcare was one of the options put forward as part of the Gwynedd Challenge public consultation exercise, as the local authority looks to make savings in the wake of continued Government funding cuts.
Charging for the childcare while continuing to offer free breakfasts could save Gwynedd council £100,000 a year.
Cllr Gareth Thomas, cabinet member for education, said the two options under consideration are providing free school breakfasts between 8.25am and 8.50am, but doing away with the free school childcare which is provided between 8am and 8.25am, or providing free school breakfasts between 8.25am and 8.50am and introducing a fee for providing childcare to those who want it between 8am and 8.25am.
Cllr Thomas added: “Sadly, these painful cuts are forecast to continue and intensify between now and 2020 whilst the pressure on local services continues to rise.
“Following a comprehensive public consultation, the council approved a series of service cuts and savings back in March 2016 that were firmly based on what local people had told us.
“The final list that was approved by the full council included a way in which the council could continue to provide free school breakfasts, but at a reduced cost to the council.
“We have looked at ways in which other councils have made changes to the service whilst continuing to deliver free school breakfasts as at present, and we have identified two possible ways forward for Gwynedd.”
Cllr Thomas added: “We are now inviting residents, and parents of primary school pupils in particular, to have their say on their preferred option by filling in a short questionnaire – either on the council website or by filling a paper questionnaire available in local libraries and Siop Gwynedd.”
Letters will be distributed to parents over the coming weeks urging them to complete the survey.