Nursery World - Council told to reimburse parent's nursery fees as funded hours invoice was unclear

A council has been told to reimburse a parent’s nursery fees after an ombudsman investigation found it failed to work with the provider to ensure its invoices for the funded hours and charges were 'clear and transparent'.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council has been told to reimburse a share of the fees the father paid to the nursery, PHOTO: Adobe Stock

The father complained to The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council as he believed he was paying a top-up fee because the nursery did not provide an itemised invoice.

The council met with the provider to discuss its charges and then told the father he was not paying a top-up fee and that responsibility for charging parents lay with the nursery. Unsatisfied with the local authority’s response, the parent complained to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).

The LGSCO’s investigation found the council ‘failed’ to work with the childcare provider to ensure its invoices were clear. It also found the nursery was applying a daily charge for consumables of more than £13 to the bill, but had not made parents aware this was an optional payment.

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