A NEW nursery providing places for 30 more children will be created in Neroche thanks to a £50 million scheme, ministers have announced.

The move will help to deliver a Government pledge to offer three and four-year-olds in England 30 hours of free care a week, according to the Department for Education (DfE).

It said that almost 200 nurseries and pre-schools will benefit from the funding pot, allowing them to invest in new buildings, upgrade old ones and improve facilities.

Somerset County Council worked in partnership with six nurseries and pre-schools in Somerset to successfully bid for a combined £1.5million from the Department for Education as part of the Government’s 30 hours free childcare offer.

Somerset County Council is also supporting the projects with nearly £350,000 of capital funds.

The nurseries and pre-schools will now invest in new buildings, convert old buildings and upgrade their facilities, allowing more spaces for the families that decide to take up the 30 hours offer that will be introduced from September 1, 2017.

Cllr Frances Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “Many hardworking families find that they struggle with the cost of childcare. The funding we have secured from the Government will ensure that nearly 200 new early years spaces become available, enabling nurseries to offer the new 30 hours of funded childcare to those families.

“I’m pleased that, thanks to our partnership working with nurseries and pre-schools across the county, we are able to help working parents. I am delighted that all six of the bids we put in have been successful.”

Over £2 million of the public money is to be invested in the Government's six "opportunity areas" - places considered to be falling behind on social mobility.

One of these areas in West Somerset, although no projects have yet been announced here.

Neroche Primary School was one of the successful bids, which applied to relocate Neroche Pre-school to the school site.

The money will allow them to purchase a building to be located at the front of the school to create a new nursery provision for three and four-year-old children.

This will provide 30 new 30 hour places for the community and will cost a total of £362,123.

Mr Connel Boyle, headteacher of Neroche Primary School, said: “This news is simply fantastic for news for the Ilminster and village communities we serve.

"For working parents to be able to access 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds with a Qualified Teacher at our school will be so beneficial for our community. We have planned for 5 years for this project and for it to be a reality now is so exciting!”

Mrs Claire Bowditch, Early Years Leader for Neroche School, said: “I cannot wait for the opportunity for Neroche School to build our new Nursery. The learning opportunities this will allow us to provide for our community’s youngest children will be amazing.”

Under the current system, all three and four-year-olds in England, as well as disadvantaged two-year-olds, are eligible for 15 free hours of childcare a week.

This is due to be doubled to 30 hours nationwide later this year.

Education Secretary Justine Greening said: "We want Britain to be a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

"That means removing the barriers facing parents who are struggling to balance their jobs with the cost of childcare, and spreading the opportunities available to hard-working families across the country.

"This funding, backed by our record £6 billion investment in childcare per year by 2020, means we can make more free places available to more families across the country, helping us to deliver our childcare offer to thousands more children."

Early years groups and experts have raised concerns about the move, warning that nurseries and other childcare providers need more money from government in order to meet the 30 free hours offer.

Labour early years spokeswoman Tulip Siddiq said: "Any additional funding is welcome but this is woefully short of what is needed to deliver the Government's underfunded childcare plans.

"The Tories still have no strategy to raise the quality of childcare or ensure the sustainability of childcare providers, who are struggling to deliver their underfunded 30 free hours promise.

"The Tory record on childcare is one of fewer Sure Start centres, rising childcare costs and parents waiting for much-needed support. They are failing hard-working families and it's our children and the economy that will pay the price."