Nursery World - 300% rent hike is dropped

A Scottish council has been forced to back down over plans to increase rental rates for its nurseries by more than 300 per cent.

Vociferous opposition from parents and councillors in Wigtownshire ledDumfries and Galloway Council to withdraw its proposal to raise the rentfor nursery groups using rooms in primary schools.

More than 12 independent pre-school nurseries had warned that they mighthave to close if the rent rise went ahead.

The council wants to even out rent charges across the region, as part ofa review of childcare services.

Kirkcolm Nursery in the village of Kirkcolm, near Stranraer, currentlypays 1,425 a year for the use of a room. Under the new rate, thiswould have risen to 6,000.

Lydia Thompsett, a parent whose child attends Kirkcolm nursery, said,'We do not mind a rent review and increase, let's just make it sensible.My concerns are that there has been no consultation or information givento the nursery.'

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