内容摘要：Mr Bell added that it had taken "years of hard work to come this far" and that the council had secured an extra £15.5m in funding from the Department for Transport, whilst pledging of a further £10m of its own.

Mr Bell added that it had taken "years of hard work to come this far" and that the council had secured an extra £15.5m in funding from the Department for Transport, whilst pledging of a further £10m of its own.

The government says it is increasing its funding for all pre-school children to reflect the wage increases and is providing an additional £75 million grant for nurseries to expand.But some nurseries say the money they receive for three-and-four-year olds is not enough and they can no longer subsidise it with the money parents pay for younger children - as from September the state will be paying for 80% of childcare in England.

The DfE is also clamping down on nurseries charging for extras, such as meals, snacks and nappies. Its updated guidance says that nurseries are entitled to ask parents to pay for such extras - but these charges must be clear and are voluntary.This is causing "enormous stress," claims Ms Tanuku."We can't give out meals for free" one nursery owner told me, "we just don't know how this is going to work".

Some nurseries have threatened to pull out of the scheme altogether.But Phillipson says that "despite the inherited challenges", they are pressing ahead "with the investment and leadership needed to support families and make sure that every child, regardless of background, can access the high-quality early education they deserve".

In the meantime, local authority-run nurseries are continuing their long term decline. The BBC has found that 23 council-run nurseries, 16 Sure Start centres and 12 maintained nursery schools, which offer funded hours, are either under review, being privatised or in the process of closing across England.

Staffing was one of the main reasons given. Finding suitable trained staff remains a real problem for the sector."It's an absolute delight to have her working with our young people."

Judges from the RSPP have shortlisted the work to appear in the exhibition, at The Mall Galleries, from 8 May to 17 May, and will make a final decision on whether to accept it.An art gallery has reopened a section of its exhibition space following conservation work, in celebration of its 125th anniversary.

The free-to-visit Upper Gallery at Bath's Victoria Art Gallery is now open to the public after extensive conservation work was carried out to protect the Grade II-listed building.The venue houses Bath & North East Somerset Council's (BANES) collection of public artworks, and pieces by artists such as Paul Klee and Grayson Perry.