THE council in Clacks is still prepared to deliver the expanded 1,140 hours of free early learning and childcare if given the green light by the government.

The revelation came last Friday, July 10, at Clackmannanshire Council's special meeting of elected representatives over urgent matters relating to education.

When examining plans for the safe return of schools in the Wee County in August, council leader Councillor Ellen Forson highlighted that parents in Clacks have been advised the 1,140 hours will not be delivered, as things currently stand.

She said: "I'm aware there's been some concern from parents about the delivery of the 1,140 [hours of free childcare] and that parents have been informed that as the guidance currently stands they won't be getting the 1,140 hours.

"Can I just clarify that the position in Clackmannanshire is that we are ready to deliver the 1,140 hours and that we will do so as soon as possible and as soon as social distancing guidance allows?"

In reply, education chiefs told the virtual Kilncraigs chamber: "The reason that we have had to inform parents, very reluctantly, that the current offer on the table from Clackmannanshire is the statutory requirement, which is currently 600 hours, is because of the social distancing and health and safety guidance that we are operating and every other authority in Scotland is operating.

"Which means there are restrictions on the number of children who can be in a particular space and we have to limit those numbers and we have to put in additional staffing.

"That means we are not able to offer any more than the current 600 [hours] across our establishments."

However, they insisted Clacks has been "ahead of the game" when it came to the roll out of the expanded provision prior to the pandemic.

Indeed, the Advertiser highlighted last October how the first minister was at Sauchie Nursery, where the expanded hours were already being phased in.

Under original plans, all three- and four-year-old children in Scotland, as well as some two-year-olds, are to benefit from expansion of free early learning provision from this August.

At the meeting, education chiefs said: "I think our plans were very well developed and my contact with all the directors of education across Scotland gives me confidence in saying this: we were ready to implement and we had an 1,140 [hours] plan that should have been put in place if we hadn't come into the situation of the pandemic."

They added: "We are expecting the government to lift restrictions and absolutely, as soon as they do that we will be ready.

"We are in a very strong position and I hope to be able to tell families and parents very soon that they can return to a 1,140 [hours] position and expectation in Clackmannanshire."