The Pre-School Learning Alliance has asked the children's minister to intervene directly with an unnamed local authority refusing to work with private and voluntary providers.
At the organisation's annual conference last week chief executive SteveAlexander said Government had not been clear on commissioning. "As aresult we have seen a number of renegade authorities taking staffin-house at greater cost and with no evidence to justify changinglong-established contracts," he said.
He later revealed the alliance was so concerned about one authority thatit had complained to children's minister Beverley Hughes. Governmentofficials are now investigating the matter.
Alexander also criticised "wasteful" commissioning, which was "gallingto pre-schools who operate on a shoe-string".
- www.pre-school.org.uk.
