Free nursery care providers in Angus are paid less than the Scottish average for the service, it has been revealed.
Confusion over funding for statutory free early learning and childcare provision has been identified in a report approved by Angus Council’s children and learning committee.
Members considered a report by Victoria Smith, acting service manager (early years), which laid out the local authority’s attempt to meet a Scottish Government target of providing 1140 hours of free care for two, three and four-year-olds by 2020.
Angus is lagging behind the Scottish average paid to care providers and the local authority is not clear how much Scottish Government funding will be made available.
A top official has given assurances that talks have taken place with neighbouring authorities to ensure rates paid to Angus providers will be “harmonised”.
Current legislation requires the council to make 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare available for eligible children but this is due to almost double after the Scottish Government announced a commitment to increase the entitlement to 1140 hours by 2020.
Places are available in 49 local authority nurseries and 31 partner settings — private nurseries or voluntary playgroups. Provision now needs to expand.
The report states: “In autumn 2017 a proposal for how we could do this was submitted to the Scottish Government.
“An assessment of the revenue and capital funding required was included. Although there have been discussions with the Scottish Government since autumn, we have not had funding confirmation.
“Angus Council received an interim grant allocation of £450,000 to meet revenue costs involved in preparing for 2020.
“Work has focused on developing those parts of the plan that rely on revenue funding.
“Significant capital investment will be needed and this is reflected in the council’s capital plan, but we are not yet clear how much Scottish government funding will be made available to support this and whether or not it will be sufficient to deliver 1140 hours aspiration.
“A review of our payment rate to partnership providers was completed.
“There is a gap between what we currently pay for three and four-year-old places (£3.51) and the Scottish average proposed rate for 2020 (£4.71, subject to revision for the national living wage).”
To encourage partner providers to increase the number of funded places available, the council needs to move towards the Scottish average.
Members agreed to the proposal to work towards aligning the rates to the Scottish average by 2020 by maintaining the rate paid to partner providers in the private, voluntary and child-minding sectors for two year olds at £6.51 per hour, and increasing the rate paid for three and four year olds to £3.92 per hour from April 1 2018.
On the latter Lynne Devine, SNP councillor for Forfar and District, asked how this rate compared to neighbouring authorities in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Aberdeenshire.
“I don’t want to see Angus disadvantaged with recruitment,” she warned.
Mark Armstrong, strategic director – people – said, as part of the partnership collaboration with Dundee City Council and Perth and Kinross Council, the rates had been “harmonised” as part of the ongoing conversation between the local authorities.
