Concerns are also raised about councils not passing on all of the funding they receive for children. This raises sustainability issues for many voluntary playgroups and pre-schools. The action of withholding money is wrong as a matter of principle.
Money from the PVI sectors retained by the council can be used to give increased funding to maintained settings, increasing the threat to the PVI sector. It ensures that we will never be allowed to compete on a level playing field.
In Plymouth, the council is retaining between 12 and 13 per cent of PVI funding - over 7,000 for our nursery last term. This amounts to nearly 1m in Plymouth per year. Nationally, the total amount retained must be hundreds of millions. The PVI sector is rightly unhappy.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
