Richard Ottaway MP: Press releasses

PRESS RELEASE

16 March 2004

OTTAWAY HITS OUT AT MEANS TESTING FOR NURSERY FUNDING

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has written to the Secretary of State for Education complaining that his pledge to provide free nursery places for all three year olds is not being met in Croydon and that the policy is being conducted on a discriminatory basis (see letter below).

Richard Ottaway says:-

"The failure of the Council to provide free nursery places to all three year olds shows the Council in the worst possible light."

"While free places are being provided to children at certain nurseries in certain parts of the Borough, other children have been discriminated against on grounds of geographic location and means testing.

This is post code rationing at its most blatant. Worse still, the policy is being made against the advice of Croydon's Director of Education who warned Council members not to pledge free nursery places for all three year olds across the Borough."

ENDS

For further information please call 020 7219 6392

Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP
Secretary of State for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BT

16 March 2004

Dear Charles

Nursery Funding

You are probably aware that Croydon Council has embarked on a discriminatory policy of providing free nursery places for three year olds in the Borough of Croydon. I attach herewith a copy of the Director of Education's letter to me dated 5th February which you will find self-explanatory. In a nutshell free nursery places are being provided to all three year olds in certain pre-schools in certain wards, but not in others. Means-testing will be introduced for children attending all other pre-schools. The north of the Borough is exclusively represented by Labour councillors. In the south of the Borough, which is exclusively represented by Conservative councillors, most nursery places for three year olds are allocated on the basis of whether or not parents are able to make a contribution to the cost.

Whichever way you look at it this is post code rationing and means testing for part of the Borough. Under the circumstances can I invite you to investigate the propriety of the situation. As this has implications for local government, I am copying this letter to Nick Raynsford.

Yours sincerely