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All Saints nursery in Chatham confirms ban on fee-paying children despite protest by Chatham MP Tracey Crouch

By: Dan Bloom

Published: 09:08, 20 June 2013

Petition leader Louise Taylor and son Henry, two

A nursery will bar paying parents despite protests, it has been confirmed.

All Saints in Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, is switching to host free placements for two-year-olds from September under a government scheme.

Under-twos and fee-paying two-year-olds will not be allowed to join, angering parents, Labour ward councillors and Chatham MP Tracey Crouch.

Despite their protests the plans were finalised this week.

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Labour group leader Cllr Vince Maple said pleas had “simply been ignored”, adding: “Families will have very difficult choices to make.”

Parents who already have children at All Saints will be allowed to stay, but will have to comply with a new half-day timetable instead of leaving their children all day.

Medway Council education chief Cllr Mike O’Brien (Con) said this was a “compromise” adding: “I’ve listened and reached a decision.

“We have a statutory duty to take disadvantaged two-year-olds and in this particular area there are unfortunately quite a few.

“We’re offering some 64 youngsters down there education they wouldn’t have otherwise received. That’s a good thing.”

Mum Louise Taylor will challenge the decision at a public meeting next month.

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