Immediate backlash to nursery cuts prompts emergency hearing with minister

Tuesday 29 March 2016

The backlash over cuts to free nursery places announced on Thursday has led to Education Minister Rod Bryans being called to an emergency hearing with a Scrutiny panel.

Deputy Louise Doublet – a former teacher who chairs the panel – says that they are prepared to take action about the plans unless the minister can justify proposals to cut the free places for families earning £75,000 or more.

The proposals published on Thursday would see the States stop funding 20 hours of free nursery care for three and four years olds from September 2017 for families with incomes over £75,000 – those with incomes under the threshold would continue to receive the free provision.

It’s not clear whether the plans have been signed off by the Council of Ministers, or whether ministers were even aware of the press release that went out on Wednesday night.

Deputy Doublet said that in the hours after the cuts were announced, she and her panel have had several calls from angry parents and concerned nurseries – and she said that she is surprised that there was no consultation with parents, the panel or nursery care providers before the announcement.

“We are calling the minister in for an urgent public hearing,” she said.

“The level of public concern over this has been huge. We have had people contacting us – parents and stakeholders in the nursery care sector.

“The way that the announcement was made was unacceptable. Scrutiny had no prior knowledge of it and neither did the stakeholders – there was no consultation at all.”

The scheme as it currently runs costs taxpayers £1.8 million per year, but the Education department say that between 75 and 100 families will lose out, saving more than £250,000 per year.

Deputy Doublet said that the cut did not match up with ministers’ repeated pledges to support the “1,0001 Days Agenda” – a policy about investing in care and education for young people.

She said: “We will get the minister in and listen to what he has to say but he is going to have to provide some strong justification, and then the panel will consider whether to take any further action.”