MORE than 600 nursery school places could be created in the most deprived areas of County Durham.
Durham County Council is getting £3.7m from the Government's Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, which aims to help people and groups set up nurseries in areas where provision is scarce or non-existent.
A total of £3,757,600 is being made available to the council for a three-year programme. It includes capital for new buildings, modernisation or refurbishment, and revenue to partly fund new places.
County Durham's Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership is co-ordinating local applications for funding.
The council - the local education authority - leads the group which comprises parents, the county's health authority, providers of nursery and childcare services, local businesses, voluntary organisations and district and borough councils.
The partnership is inviting those interested from the independent, voluntary, maintained and private nursery sectors to contact 0191-383 4092 for further details and a preliminary application form.
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