Taking on the local authority

[Gertie100]

No idea if any one can help with this!

My daughter is in our local private nursery. The nursery is relatively new - it open just over 2 years ago.
As she was 3 last September the council sent me through information relating to her "funded" nursery place. It was then I realised that the new nursery was still not "approved" therefore the council would not fund the places. I spoke to the nursery who said that all checks / visits had be done and they were just waiting for approval.
A few emails later from the council and they confirmed that shortly a decision would be made.

January is now here, and it is the new term after my girls 3rd birthday and she should technically get a funded place. Of course no decision has been made and so this morning I have emailed the council again stating that I need to know when / if this decision will be made.


Now here is the kick in the teeth:
Approx 3 years ago the infant & junior school which is next door to the private nursery (no nursery at the school) was threatened with closure. It was fought locally by parents and also by the nursery (which at the time operated out of a different site but in the same village and was more breakfast and after school club).
The locals won and the education minister had to change her mind.
This morning it was intermated to me by another parent that the reason the council has dragged its feet with the approval is because the owners of the nursery fought the closure of the school and won...

Having never battled with the local authority before I have no idea how to start an official process of finding out exactly what is going on! I know someone has already been to their local AM, however not sure who!

If you have read this far - thank you. And hope someone can help us! You will be helping a lot of peed off parents!

[patdavies]

Get your ward councillor involved in asking what is going on - that's why they were elected after all, to serve their constituents.

[Gertie100]

Just left her a message - thanks again to you Pat!

[Gertie100]

Some movement here now thanks to my councillor (and to you Pat!)

Council is now saying that because there are surplus places with our area (and I mean the whole borough not area as in easy to get to...) they will not approve our nursery.
However these are all part time places (which is all I am entitled to be funded for because I am married) so then present the problem as to childcare for the remainder of the week.
I will not be able to transport her between the 2 nurseries (funded and private) and there are no places available closer to the funded places.



So 2 questions;
1. Can the law help me with regards to accessing council information, minutes of meetings etc? Not entirely sure if anything will help just wondering really.
2.When a local authority loses a case to close a school, is anything agreed with regards to when they can apply again to close? Is there a minimum term? Reason is the school is getting smaller - there are only 9 kids in reception this year and this is only going to get worse, because people are sending their kids to other nurseries outside of our village and if they settle etc, keeping them in the same stream of schools, therefore not returning to the area.

Cheers