Nursery World - Rural nursery classes escape council's axe

Two rural nursery classes in the Scottish Borders that were earmarked for closure look likely to survive a swathe of cuts in the council's education budget designed to address a 2.8m overspend. The two nursery classes, at primary schools in Westruther and Fountainhall, were targeted as part of a series of proposed cuts drawn up by a council working group and presented at a full meeting of the council on 5 July. Both have ten places or fewer. Together with reductions in staff development, equipment and outdoor area budgets, this would cut 25,000 from the nursery education budget.

The two nursery classes, at primary schools in Westruther and Fountainhall, were targeted as part of a series of proposed cuts drawn up by a council working group and presented at a full meeting of the council on 5 July. Both have ten places or fewer. Together with reductions in staff development, equipment and outdoor area budgets, this would cut 25,000 from the nursery education budget.

Other spending cuts set out in a package which aims to save the council Pounds 1.5m in 2001/2002 include reducing the childcare budget by 32,000, which will reduce the council's capacity to achieve its childcare strategy targets this year; cutting expenditure on repairs and maintenance by 150,000, and reducing the grants available to the poorest families for shoes and clothing by 60,000. The council has also applied to transfer Pounds 525,000 of Excellence Fund money to use for installing computers in schools. This will mean less cash for classroom assistants, early intervention and support for parents.

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