THE owners of York children's nurseries are claiming victory in their campaign for fairer funding for a new pilot scheme offering 30 hours free childcare per week to working parents.

The Department for Education has offered £4 per hour for the pioneering project, which is due to start in York this September.

The money compares with only £3.38 per hour currently paid to York nurseries for providing 15 free hours per week of early years provision, which they have previously claimed could make them unviable and force them to close. This rate will still be paid for the provision of only 15 free hours, which non-working parents will be entitled to receive.

Helen Gration, owner of York Montessori Nursery and a Trustee of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) for Yorkshire & Humberside, said nurseries had refused to accept something they saw as 'fundamentally wrong for families' and unjust.

"We look forward to working with the DFE during the pilot, so that the Government can see the full range of funding problems and to make sure that providers across the country have the right tools and funding come 2017," she said.

Vanessa Warn, owner of Little Green Rascals and Deputy Chair of the NDNA York Network, said she was delighted the DFE had heard their members and offered a better rate, adding: "There is more work to be done but this a positive start."

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said he had been speaking with childcare and education minister Sam Gyimah, York nursery managers and City of York Council to ensure the pilot could take place from September and he was encouraged by the DfE's 'positive response.'

He said: “I am pleased that the Department for Education has listened to the serious concerns that have been raised and have now returned to the table with a fairer offer for York’s nurseries. I was deeply concerned that many York nurseries indicated they would be unable to take part in the pilot and this was a great disappointment for a large number of parents."

Purnima Tanuku OBE, chief executive of the NDNA, said: “We are very pleased that NDNA’s York network and their local authority have worked with the Department for Education to agree a rate of £4 per hour to allow the 30 free hours pilot to go ahead.

“We must learn from the pilot, and other pilots across England, to make sure 30 free hours is achievable and sustainable for providers in the longer term."