Falkirk councillors voted against the cost saving measures, including the transfer of 150 children from private nurseries to council-run settings – designed to help close a £27.9 million budget shortfall for 2025/6 – in favour of a 15.6% council tax hike.
Affected nurseries and parents attended the meeting to oppose the bid to transfer of three- and four- year-olds from 13 private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector settings.
The SNP-run local authority had hoped to make early learning and childcare budget savings of £580,000 by diverting the children to its own settings that are running under capacity, while it funds PVI places. This option was associated with a 13.7% council tax increase.
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