Annual fees for registering with Ofsted are set to soar in the nextthree years under Government plans to transfer regulation costs to theprovider (Analysis, 5 December). The plans, currently underconsultation, would see a day nursery's registration costs rise to450 a year by 2010.
Representatives at a national member forum, hosted by the National DayNurseries Association, last week discussed the three Ofstedconsultations on fees, inspections and published information.
Members worried about sustainability in the face of rising fees askedfor stringent guidelines for local authorities. Some suggested a bandingstructure according to size or occupancy, to target funding where mostneeded. However, members expressed positive views on the move towardsself-evaluation.
Replies to the consultation on the fees and subsidies should be made by20 February at www.dcsf.gov.uk.
