Nursery places face financial axe

Published on Wednesday 29 August 2007 01:22

CLOSING nursery schools will not be enough to ease Edinburgh City Council's financial shortfall, it emerged yesterday.

Speaking at the council's education committee, the children and families director, Gillian Tee, revealed the number of full-time nursery places would have to fall to meet the target of saving nearly 1.8 million from the early years sector.

Meanwhile the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, visited a school in his constituency threatened by plans to close 22 schools, to save 9 million over three years.

The MP for Edinburgh South West urged pupils and parents to fight for the school.

He told the children: "Never be afraid to stand up and say what you think, because sometimes you are right."

He added: "This school is very popular; it is nearly full, and parents feel if there are changes proposed, they have to come up with a good educational reason - and I have not seen any.

"My constituents would question it if I didn't speak up for them."