Lisa Lowes, owner of the Rainbow Day Nursery in Alnwick, said the reduction from 406 per child per term last year to 375 in the current year had provoked an angry reaction from providers.
'The network of day nurseries in Northumberland did think about withdrawing from the grant scheme, which would have meant the early years partnership not reaching its targets for funded places,' she said. 'But we decided that we would not make such a drastic step.'
Sarah Richard, Northumberland early years and childcare manager, said the funding for three- and four-year-olds was decided on the basis of NEG places the previous year and there was a shortfall in the current year as the number of places had expanded.
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