Decision details

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would provide further detail to Members via service update in relation to (a) the number of children entitled to 1140 hours who were not receiving 1140 hours; and (b) the number of children attending who received free school meals;

(ii)       to approve the Evaluation of the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare available in Appendix A and B;

(iii)      to instruct the Chief Education Officer to prepare a new Early Learning and Childcare Delivery Plan for 2022-24 based on the findings of this evaluation for presentation at the next meeting of this Committee;

(iv)      to note the reduction of £4.6m in ring-fenced grant funding for the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare next year and instruct the Chief Officer – Finance to include details of the impact, alongside the other implications of the 2022/23 financial settlement, in the budget report to be presented to the Council on 7 March 2022;

(v)      to note that officers would ensure that there was communication with the External Members in relation to any education budget matters considered at the Council Budget meeting in March;

(vi)      agree that the cornerstone of our investment had been our expenditure in outdoor learning, this being reflected in the establishment of two outdoor nurseries at Hazlehead Park and Duthie Park; and

(vii)     to note the Hazlehead Park and Duthie Park Outdoor Nursery provision would see Aberdeen City being the only Local Authority to offer two all year round outdoor nurseries, which were local authority run and based in urban parks, and agree the establishment of these two outdoor nurseries was a pioneering provision for the Early Years sector which the Council had made happen.