Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, has raised alarm over a critical shortage of local nursery spaces that could prevent families from fully benefiting from the government’s expanded free childcare scheme. Launched on 1 September, the scheme doubles the free childcare entitlement for working parents of children under two, from 15 to 30 hours per week across England.
The Department for Education highlights that this expansion could save families up to £7,500 per child annually. However, Gilmour warns that without enough childcare places, many families in her constituency won’t reap these savings.
In particular, villages like Bishops Lydeard and Cotford St Luke face acute shortages. These Somerset communities currently offer only 17 and 14 childcare places per 100 children aged 0 to 7 respectively, falling well below the national average of 25, according to the latest Office for National Statistics data from 2023.
Both villages are preparing for substantial housing developments—with 130 new homes planned in Bishops Lydeard and 80 in Cotford St Luke—making the need for additional childcare facilities even more urgent.
Gilmour has been collaborating with local school governors and residents to secure funding to convert the old schoolhouse at Bishops Lydeard Church Primary School into a nursery. However, plans have been stalled after the Parish Council decided not to allocate Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds for the project.
The MP emphasized the difficulties faced by parents forced to seek childcare outside their communities, saying, “This travel burden adds stress to already busy family lives. Without more provision locally, families in these growing villages will miss out on vital support.”
Gilmour calls for swift action and investment in early years education to ensure that growing communities can access the free childcare they need and deserve under the government’s scheme.