Lack of consultation claim

Furious private nursery providers have slammed South Lanarkshire Council over plans to increase the provision of early years childcare as part of a flagship Scottish Government policy.

An email from a group of private providers was sent to all councillors ahead of an executive committee meeting where a paper on phase one of the council’s capital spend – amounting to £12 million – to meet the requirement of 1140 hours of free childcare per year by 2020 was being discussed.

The council has been allocated just over £19m of capital funding from the Scottish Government from 2017/2018 to 2020/2021 to allow preparatory planning to begin to begin.

The local authority say they need £32.24m if they are to meet the government’s requirement of 1140 hours – leaving a shortfall of £13m.

But independent providers argue future projections are based on the current amount of children registered and don’t take into account the capacity they have – which, they say, if the council did, would drastically reduce the shortfall.

They fear that the policy could be put in jeopardy as some may be forced to close their doors before the full rollout in 2020 due to SLC spending millions on what they believe may be unnecessary new-builds or refurbishments.

They insist there has been a lack of constructive consultation on the best way forward – and that many have available spaces.

Karen Flynn, manager at Kirktonholme Childcare in East Kilbride, said: “We have 60 places which are available and I believe most of the other private or independent nurseries in East Kilbride have the capacity which the council could utilise.

“We are all fully supportive of the Scottish Government plans for 1140 hours expansion but the manner in which this has been handled by officers is very poor and misleading.

“It is blatantly obvious we have the capacity but SLC are choosing to ignore it.

“The Scottish Government talk about councils “sweating their assets”, which is basically using what you have first and best value and SLC are not doing this.

“They also say there has been consultation over plans but it’s been in name only – it’s a case of them ticking a box.

“A council ballot – which we only knew about the night before – will mean some independent providers will be able to offer parents the 1140 funded hours while some will only be able to offer the current 600 hours before the full rollout.

“I have had children and parents crying because they are being forced to move nurseries – despite the fact they have been here for years. At the end of the day it’s the children and parents who are losing out and a real lack of equality. The funding is meant to “follow the child” and that’s simply not happening. The Scottish Government has committed to increasing the number of hours of free childcare to 1140 by 2020. But South Lanarkshire Council’s plans on how to implement this have been called into question. Nicola Findlay speaks to private nursery providers with fears for the future...

“The council give us £3.36 per hour, per child but that doesn’t cover what we actually need to spend – quality costs more than £3.36.”

She added: “I know of several nurseries who are already struggling and won’t be around by 2020.

“And without us the council will never be able to meet the requirement for 1140 hours.”

Moira Fell, who runs Sweetie Brae nursery in Strathaven said: “We have always supported the expansion, however, now comes a time when the private sector is seriously looking at the council’s partnership with us and having to make our point known.

“There is no real partnership. Overall, it looks like the council have their own agenda regardless of partners and if expanding their own services before working together with us, the council will put many of us out of business.”

She added: “With the phased approach which really wasn’t required if using partners at the beginning, there are children being given 1140 hours at one nursery and due to caps on spaces, other children at the same nursery are only being given 600? How is this fair and getting it right for every child?

Stewart Nicolson, head of education at the council, said: “The potential availability of partner places was given full consideration in the planning