WEST Somerset is set to miss out on a national childcare funding boost – despite being one of the Government’s ‘opportunity areas’.

After finishing bottom of the Government’s Social Mobility Index last year, meaning children in West Somerset stand less of a chance of escaping poverty than any other district in the country, the Education Secretary Justine Greening named West Somerset as one of six ‘opportunity areas’.

The Government states these areas will benefit from additional funding to help all children to reach their full potential.

Last week, the Government announced a £50 million grant scheme to provide thousands of new childcare places, which will help to deliver its 30 hours free childcare offer.

The Department of Education released a statement saying some of this funding would go to the opportunity areas, including West Somerset. 

However, when Somerset County Council announced a list of nurseries that were set to benefit from £1.5m of funding, none were based in West Somerset, with schools in Wellington, Taunton, Bridgwater, Wiveliscombe, Norton Fitzwarren and Ilminster receiving the funding. 

The news comes in the same week that it was announced the Acorns Nursery at West Somerset College is due to close at the end of March.

Peter Elliot, chief executive officer for BCT said: “Acorns Nursery was originally established as a training facility for learners at the college studying pre and post 16 child development courses. 

“Since September the nursery has been operating as a separate trading enterprise, financially independent of the college. Unfortunately, a review of the financial position of the nursery indicates it is not viable and has been running at a loss for many years. 

“As such, the decision has been made that the nursery will cease trading at the end of March 2017. Any further increase in fees to address this expected loss would be unacceptable to parents who have already seen fees increase this year and for many would make child care unaffordable.

“During our decision planning process we have been discussing nursery provision for Minehead and the wider West Somerset community with both the Local Authority and local partners, particularly the West Somerset Academies Trust. 

“We have worked together to ensure continuity of places for the children of Minehead by ensuring the opening of their new nursery coincides with the closure of Acorns.”

MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said he was disgusted at the news that none of the money would be going into West Somerset. “I am amazed to hear that none of the money is going into West Somerset. I think it is absolutely disgusting, but it is absolutely typical of West Somerset missing out.”

The Department for Education said it had given the money to the local authority responsible for children’s services, in this case Somerset County Council, but none of the money from this round of funding would be going into West Somerset.

However a SCC spokesman said: “The council worked with six nurseries and pre-schools to submit bids for funding and all six of those bids were successful.

“We do not know why the Government’s press team have mentioned West Somerset in their statement.”