Brighton & Hove City Council has written to the government calling for changes to the ‘unfair’ national funding system for nurseries.
The letter to the Secretary of State for Education has been sent by the chair of the council’s children, young people and skills committee, Councillor Nick Childs.
Councillor Childs said: “Nurseries in Brighton & Hove are suffering because of an unfair government funding system that’s simply not fit for purpose.
“The funding rate we get from central government is well below average and does not take account of the high costs of running a nursery in Brighton & Hove.
“As everyone knows, the cost of living here is pretty much in line with London prices.
“Even more unfair is the fact that nurseries in other similar cities like Southampton, Reading and Bristol get a lot more funding per child per hour than we do.
“Bristol gets £5.69 per child. Reading gets £5.14. Southampton gets £5.11.
“In Brighton & Hove we only get £4.45. This is the lowest rate of any unitary authority in the south east.
“This is very difficult for all nurseries in the city and many are struggling. Nurseries open for longer hours can charge parents fees at a higher rate.
“This is not an option for nurseries only open for school hours, and so their situation is even worse.
“It’s really upsetting that the government is selling families in this city short with a funding system that is fundamentally so unfair.”
