Agenda item

Avril Allenby introduced the item (Agenda Item 8), which aimed to inform the group on the take-up and impact of the Early Years Sustainability Grant 2021 and share the comments of the Early Yeats providers’ survey.

Avril Allenby reported that some grant funding had been made available to early years provided due to the pressures faced as a result of Covid. The majority of providers had taken up the offer of the funding. Any providers that had not applied had been approached to ensure all were fully aware of the opportunity available.

A short survey had a been sent to providers as part of the process to help gain an understanding of the impact being faced  and responses to the survey were detailed under section 4.2 of the report.

Avril Allenby explained that many businesses had been able to access rate rebates during the pandemic however, for early years the number of businesses able to access this had been particularly low due to many not owning their own premises. Business loans, the furlough scheme and other grant funding had been particularly difficult for early years providers to access as many did not receive income and were reliant on grant funding provided by the Local Authority.  

Avril Allenby drew attention to the ongoing areas of concern raised as part of the survey on page 41 of the report, which included concerns regarding furlough, parents continuing to work for home and changes to working hours.

Avril Allenby reported that provider rates had been reduced as part of the deficit recovery plan and the sustainability grant funding had helped slightly to reduce the impact of this.

Ian Pearson highlighted that grant funding made available to early years providers was money agreed by the Local Authority to support settings and was not money from the Dedicated School Grant. A total of £226,200 had been agreed and to date a total of £198k had been paid to 130 providers.

Brian Jenkins highlighted the second paragraph on page 43 of the report and felt that this summed up the discomfort that existed within the early years sector across the country. He thanked West Berkshire Council for the grant funding that had been made available however, stressed that this was a small figure in comparison to the losses sustained by businesses in the sector. He appreciated the work undertaken by West Berkshire Council to provide the grant funding however it was not a solution to the problem and action was required from The Government on this.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum noted the report.