PRESS RELEASE

4 May 2004

OTTAWAY SLAMS COUNCIL OVER NURSERY FUNDING

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has expressed his anger at Croydon Council's failure to fund nursery places for all three year olds in the Borough. This has been confirmed by Children's Minister, Margaret Hodge MP.

"The Government has boldly announced that all three year olds are now entitled to free nursery education, however, Croydon Council is failing to comply with this. The Minister makes it quite clear that they are having to push the Council into meeting its statutory requirement to provide the promised nursery education to all three year olds.

Funding for this has been provided by the Government but Croydon Council, in breach of its statutory obligations, is withholding this money which is intended for our three year olds in an attempt to balance its books. This policy is divisive and discriminatory.

The breaking of this funding promise is having a real financial impact upon the budgets of young families and is causing a great deal of uncertainty for families and nurseries who need to plan ahead.

It is grossly unfair that Croydon children are losing out."

ENDS

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