Nursery World - Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme at a glance

* 900 50-place nurseries are to be set up by 2004 in the bottom fifth of deprived wards in England and other pockets of extreme deprivation. These could be in new or refurbished premises. Some nurseries will have a mixture of places, with parents outside the area being charged higher fees. There will also be some three-year funding to subsidise places for poor families in existing provision. * The funds available are 100m of lottery money from the New Opportunities Fund for capital funding, plus Pounds 203m start-up grants from the DfEE over three years. This can be supplemented with loans from banks working with the Government.

* The funds available are 100m of lottery money from the New Opportunities Fund for capital funding, plus 203m start-up grants from the DfEE over three years. This can be supplemented with loans from banks working with the Government.

* Neighbourhood Nursery advisors based at the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships can give business advice to providers.

* EYDCPs are being asked to produce costed plans for developing Neighbourhood Nurseries in their most disadvantaged areas by 4 May 2001.

* Providers from the private, voluntary and maintained sector are being invited to submit proposals to develop nurseries by the same date.

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