Nursery funding row boils over in States

Wednesday 15 June 2016

The Education Minster has been accused of showing a “complete lack of respect” following a controversial proposal for nursery funding cutbacks.

Deputy Louise Doublet told the States Assembly she had been “shocked and baffled” after discovering plans to make £250,000 worth of education cuts, via the media.

As Chairman of the Education Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Doublet told the assembly she could scarcely believe a minister had released plans for the cuts earlier this year without her knowledge.

Those plans, proposed by Education Minister Rod Bryans, were to take away free nursery care for families of under-fours, where the primary wage earner took home more than £75,000 a year. 

Deputy Doublet said: “These proposals are not in the best interests of children and not in line with this assembly’s strategic line. There has been no impact assessment or consultation. The £75,000 primary income threshold has not been adequately researched or subjected to a impact assessment. 

“The Minister has produced a policy directly in conflict with the assembly’s own plan and it will negatively affect a number of families - all for a very small saving.

“I strongly recommend that it is withdrawn. We feel we have been let down by this Minister and there has been a complete lack of respect for the scrutiny process. This is extremely disappointing.”

Deputy Doublet told the gallery that she only found out about the proposals via the media.

She said: “At the end of March the minster for education published a proposal to re-assess qualification for families for 20 hours of free nursery education for children up to four years old, with a threshold of £75,000.

“On March 23, the proposal was sent to the media. This was the first anyone in the nursery care business had heard of it. I was not aware of any consultation or impact assessment having been made.

“It was very clear from the Minster that this was being introduced to save the department £250,000 per year and it would have an impact on between 75 and 100 families. 

“Overall I have maintained a good working relationship with the Minister but I was surprised as I had not been informed earlier of his intentions. I felt these new proposals were not in the best interests of children and as soon as the proposals went out we were bombarded by members of the public. 

“I received a petition against the proposals and it had 2,680 signatures on it and in addition we had a public meeting with over 200 members of the Jersey public. I don’t think means-testing in this way are in the best interests of children.” 

Following questions from the assembly, Deputy Doublet said: “I was quite shocked when these proposals came out and I am shocked and baffled now. This has left me feeling quite disappointed. I don’t think it was calculated in any way, but it appears to me that it did not occur to the Minister that reports into this proposal might be useful and that worries me greatly. Policy decisions should be made on evidence and after having been subject to proper scrutiny.”

Deputy Bryans said: “I wonder if the Deputy could confirm to the Members that the Deputy and I, along with the Director, had a lengthy meeting on Friday and she was made aware of the revised proposal?

Deputy Doublet replied: "Yes, we did have an informal meeting that I did not have an officer present.  At the time, the Minister, near the end of the meeting, did make me aware that he was thinking about some new proposals.  I have to say I was quite shocked then because the Minister was aware that our report was not coming out until Monday.  I urged him not to present any new proposals until he had read the report and considered it.  My feeling of shock remains, to be honest, that so much work has been put into this report, not just by myself but 3 other Members of my panel, Scrutiny Officers, for 2 months that the Minister should go away formulate alternative proposals without waiting for this large piece of work."

Plans to cut nursery funding will be announced as pat of the States’ Medium Term Financial Plan at the end of this month.