Nursery World - Anger at grant top-slicing

Scotland's local authorities have been urged to consult with partner providers over the amount they retain, or 'topslice', from central government's nursery education grant and to ensure that the process for arriving at the level of top-slice is open and transparent. Audit Scotland recommended a more consultative approach after analysing pre-school education provision across the country and finding that some partners were dissatisfied with the process. Its report for the Accounts Commission, A good start -Commissioning Pre-school education, published this week, also recommends that councils should consider varying the amount of top-slice to reflect the amount of support provided to different sectors, or to different individual centres. It says that some private nurseries felt they should receive a higher proportion of the grant, as they needed less and received less support than other providers, in particular playgroups.

Audit Scotland recommended a more consultative approach after analysing pre-school education provision across the country and finding that some partners were dissatisfied with the process. Its report for the Accounts Commission, A good start - Commissioning Pre-school education, published this week, also recommends that councils should consider varying the amount of top-slice to reflect the amount of support provided to different sectors, or to different individual centres. It says that some private nurseries felt they should receive a higher proportion of the grant, as they needed less and received less support than other providers, in particular playgroups.

The amount top-sliced fluctuates wildly from one council to another. In 1999/2000, when the nursery education grant was 1,175, it ranged from none in Shetland to the maximum recommended 295 in Aberdeen, Stirling, East Ayrshire, Falkirk and Scottish Borders. More than half of all councils retained a top-slice of more than 200 per place.

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