Highland councillors vote down a plan for early learning board as debate over rates paid for ELC rumble on
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Education committee members agreed to “step back” and allow officers to continue to negotiate payment rates for the sector.
Councillor Helen Crawford – who has heavily lobbied for an uplift in early learning and childcare (ELC) rates – tabled a motion to establish an ELC partner board.
This board would have included eight elected members and five ELC sector representatives.
Cllr Crawford told the education committee the board would strengthen the sector and give councillors a strategic overview of the council’s relationship with its partners.
However, the motion was defeated in the vote.
The council recently found itself in the centre of a row over the amount it paid to independent and third sector ELCs.
Highland ELCs said the previous rate of £5.43 was not sustainable, and fell well below what it needed to pay its staff the Real Living Wage.
Some called for an uplift to £7.25 per hour, in line with recommendations from an Ipsos Mori report.
However, Highland Council said it couldn’t afford such a substantial increase.
Instead, members recently agreed an increase of 32p per hour for three to five-year-olds and 53p for two-year-olds.
It also agreed to pay £3 for each nursery meal, up from £2.30.
Both raises are being backdated to August 2022 but only apply to the current financial year.
In the meantime, next year’s ELC rate will form part of the council’s budget discussions in the spring. A wider redesign of ELC services is still underway.
Cllr Crawford’s motion attempted to give councillors stronger oversight of the process. The sector has heavily lobbied councillors on the rates issue.
Cllr Richard Gale seconded the motion, stating that the debate to date had been plagued with “misinformation and miscommunication”.
Education chairman John Finlayson strongly refuted that suggestion.
He asked why the council needs a separate partner board. He said the creation of such a board would simply create silos.
Cllr Drew Millar backed him, observing: “We already have a cross-party ELC board – it’s this education committee.”
In a bullish response, Cllr Finlayson tabled an amendment instructing councillors to “step back and give officers space and time” to work with ELCs.
Cllr Finlayson’s amendment passed by 13 votes to Cllr Crawford’s eight.
