Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services seeking approval for an increase to the Children’s Services and Learning Capital Programme by adding DfE Funding Early Education for 2yr olds grant, together with other unallocated DfE grants to date.  The report will also seek approval to spend the capital allocations.

(i)  To add, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, a sum of £711,000 to the Children’s Services and Learning Capital Programme in 2013/14, funded from non-ring-fenced Department for Education (DfE) grant, for the Early Years Expansion Programme.

(ii)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, capital variations totalling £650,000 to the programme approved by Council on 13 February 2013, as follows:

·  £500,000 transfer from Special School Estate scheme to the Early Years Expansion Programme; and

·  £150,000 transfer from Wordsworth Infants expansion project to the Early Years Expansion Programme.

(iii)  To note that approval to spend in relation to the capital additions and variations of recommendation (ii) and (iii) which total £1,361,000, will be sought from Cabinet when sufficient detail can be provided to effectively inform decision making.

1. The Childcare Act 2006 and subsequent statutory guidance have made it a requirement for local authorities to ensure that there are sufficient funded Early Years places to meet the requirements of working parents of three and four-year-olds in their area. The Government has recently amended this legal requirement, with the effect of extending it to cover places for disadvantaged two-year-olds, from September 2013 onwards.
2. The annual Early Years sufficiency analysis indicates that there are currently enough places to provide for three and four-year-olds within the City.  However, the capacity within the system is currently being placed under pressure by the increase in birth rate over the last four years.  As such, it is anticipated that in order to meet its statutory duties, the Council will have to expand provision in line with the increased numbers expected as a consequence of the extension of the free places offer to disadvantaged two-year-olds

1. In order to meet its statutory duty, the Council’s only option to making direct provision itself is to work with Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Sectors who currently provide over 85% of the pre-school places.
2. Direct provision by Children’s Services is more expensive, requiring not only suitable premises to be identified but large numbers of qualified staff to be appointed.