Councillor anger over NLC U-turn
A councillor has hit out at North Lanarkshire’s ruling Labour group over a U-turn meaning children whose families are deferring their primary school start this summer will now not automatically receive funding for their additional year at nursery.
Councillors agreed in June that “any application to defer the Primary One start of a child whose birthday falls between September [and] February will be granted, with a further year’s nursery funding to be provided”.
However, while the intake’s youngest pupils born in January and February will still have the additional year funded as at present, the widened policy is not now being implemented for 2020-21 on cost grounds.
An affordability study is instead being carried out, after education committee members were advised that it could cost up to £15 million per year if all eligible pupils – those still aged four by the start of the school year – took up the deferral option.
SNP councillor Allan Stubbs says the administration is “playing politics with the futures of North Lanarkshire’s children”.
Councillor Stubbs had proposed the successful motion, which was seconded by party colleague Agnes Magowan, who represents the Motherwell South-East & Ravenscraig ward.
It gained support from the Conservatives with the inclusion of a request for Scottish Government funding – but says it was not conditional on receiving extra money.
He told the Wishaw Press: “The figures are based on 100 per cent uptake, but it’s completely unreasonable that all eligible children would defer.
“People wanted this implemented in January and it was confirmed both at the meeting and since that this would go ahead regardless of the response from the Scottish Government.
“Nobody knows if a child is ready for school better than their mum and dad, but if families don’t have the money they may have no choice but to send the child to school.
“Labour have allowed parents to think that it was going to be implemented, but are just putting it off.”
Nursery funding for deferred Septemberto-December pupils is due to be discussed at Holyrood and with local government organisation Cosla, but is currently at councils’ discretion.
Education convener Frank McNally said: “There was broad agreement from all members on the principle, so there was no need to divide on the original motion; and as all motions have to have an identified budget, a feasibility study would have to have been undertaken anyway.
“We’d been waiting on the clarification from the Scottish Government about funding – it was impossible to know the requirements for implementing until then, but they’ve confirmed there will be no support, which is deeply disappointing.
“The education committee will have a paper next month outlining the options and costs.
“The council’s budget is fully committed for the year and for any motion which hasn’t been through the process, there has to be a full financial appraisal.
“I can understand that frustration from parents; but while it’s not automatic, a high percentage of young people who apply for deferred entry have been approved.”
Council leader Jim Logue added: “When officers looked at the potential calculation, in the present financial climate we’re not going to be able to afford this depending on uptake.
“At a challenging time when councils struggle to meet their statutory requirements, we just can’t afford to take on additional requirements .
“We’re looking at £100 million coming out of our budget, £32 million in the next financial year.
“There was agreement in principle and if the financial context changed and there was funding, of course we’d come to committee and positively endorse this.
“MSPs have a role here as if they think this has value, maybe that should be funded by central government.”