EDUCATION bosses behind a comprehensive review of pre-school education in East Lancashire today admitted some nurseries in Burnley may close.

Lancashire County Council said the review, which is expected to be completed by the end of this month, was mainly concerned with reducing the costs of administration by looking at restructuring management and reorganisation.

Simon Crawshaw, of the county hall public relations team, reassured East Lancashire parents that no nurseries would close anywhere except in Burnley, where there was an over provision of places for the number of children.

He said: "We are looking at how our nurseries are managed and to see if we can spread the benefits throughout the county.

"We are looking at reducing the cost of administration and increasing the amount spent on actual education by looking at nursery classes and central centres of excellence rather than schools.

"The word closure is being used but what may happen is that nurseries technically close one day and reopen the next under a different name and structure. "We are looking to increase provision in the Ribble Valley and the only place where nurseries may close is in Burnley, where there is over provision already.

"And, of course, nothing has been decided yet as we are still looking into things. We would welcome parents with input on the subject to make them known."

The statement came as Tory MP Nigel Evans backed the concerns of some Ribble Valley parents and warned county hall not to use the current review as an excuse to reduce nursery funding and force through "cutbacks under the cloak of efficiency savings".

Mr Evans has written to County Coun Hazel Harding, chair of the education and cultural services committee, warning that any cuts in the Ribble Valley were unacceptable.

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