Hard-pressed families in Salford are facing a five per cent hike in nursery childcare costs from September. Councillors on the city council's cabinet voted for the first rise in such costs since April 2019 when fees also rose by five per cent.
But the cost of childcare in Salford's five local authority nurseries is still lower than the private providers in the city, said director of adult and children's services Charlotte Ramsden. A full week's care for a child up to the age of two will go up by £9.47 to £198.98; for two to three-year-olds it will rise by £9.13 to £191.63 and for those aged three and above it will go up by £8.80 to £184.80.
Based on a 75 per cent take-up of nursery places the move will generate an extra £66,165 for the local authority coffers. The increased revenue would also enable to reduce the level of financial support from the local authority to its nurseries.
