Funding threat still looms over Cambridgeshire’s maintained nurseries

A motion urging for the county council to take steps to support Cambridgeshire’s threatened maintained nursery schools has been rejected.

The motion called for Cambridgeshire County Council to postpone any decisions to close or restructure provision until details of the funding situation beyond summer 2020 are known.

It also called for a letter to be written to the Prime Minister and for the authority to make the case for the extension of funding.

Labour’s Cllr Jocelynne Scutt, who proposed the motion, said: “If those nursery schools are not there to provide the services that they do, children are hugely disadvantaged and the inequality that exists in Cambridgeshire will be continued.”

Conservative Cllr Simon Bywater, who is chairman of the authority’s children and young people committee, said he could not support the motion as “it is giving promises that we cannot promise”.

He said the council had already drafted a letter to the government asking for the current £1.1m funding to be maintained and
was lobbying for more funding for
all schools in Cambridgeshire.

“Many other authorities have taken the step to close their nursery schools but we are working extremely hard to sustain the current level of provision,” he said, but admitted there was no extra cash to plug the gap if funding is withdrawn.

Labour’s Cllr Claire Richards said: “It’s a no-brainer to support this and yet maintained nurseries are being undermined by a lack of funding.”

Fellow Labour member Cllr Linda Jones said: “I do think we should go beyond sending a letter and actually fighting, and pressing as hard as we can for maintained nursery schools.”

Conservative Cllr Peter Hudson stormed: “The motion isn’t required... he’s [Cllr Bywater] doing what you’re already asking.”

Lib Dem Cllr Lorna Dupre added: “I don’t see that there should be any problem on anybody’s part on those three statements there and I see no reason at all why we cannot all get behind this today.”

The government has yet to confirm whether or not funding for maintained nurseries will continue.

Councillors rejected the motion by 25 votes to 21 at the full council meeting on Thursday, December 19.