The aim of this assessment is to consider, as part of the Council's savings exercise, the impact of removing £0.044m funding currently used to provide a free nursery service for children aged 0-3 years old whose parents live within the Cairns/Cambuslang area of South Lanarkshire. The core grant also covers management and administration staffing costs etc.
Following discussions with CCP, the provision of free places for 0-3 year olds will be replaced with places for 3-5 year olds, funded through partnership nursery arrangements. CCP have agreed that this will be manageable over a two year period with a saving of £0.044m achievable in 2019/20.
It is intended to phase out the provision over the course of the next two years; therefore children who currently attend will continue to do so, however no new applications for children who fall into the 0-3 age range will be accepted for entry into the nursery.
Current Partnership Nursery Arrangements Funding - £0.053m (2017/18).
0-3 Year old Nursery Service Funding - £0.084m
2019/20 Saving - £0.044m
2020/21 Saving - £0.040m
Conclusion
Removing the £0.044m funding may have an impact on parents of children aged 0-3 years old who live within the Cairns/Cambuslang area of South Lanarkshire.
The nursery provision will be phased out over the course of the next two years; no new children who fall into the 0-3 age range will be accepted into the nursery therefore current users will not be affected as the children will be able to transition into the 3+ provision of the nursery.
Removal of the funding would not threaten the continued existence of the nursery since CCP could replace the provision of free places for 0-3 year olds with places for 3-5 year olds, funded through partnership nursery arrangements South Lanarkshire Council will provide support to help the project access other funding.
Following discussions between J McCafferty (C&ER) and CCP, CCP advised that they were running one more session for 0-3 year olds. Parents in the area would have to be informed of the change to the service thereafter.
It has been confirmed that CCP haven't taken on any new 0-3 year olds this year. This will allow current 0-3 year olds to transition to 3-5 year old service before the sessions cease.
Education Resources have confirmed there is sufficient capacity in the area for paid 0-3 year old nursery provision with Westburn Nursery School nearby.
