THE FIGHT against the loss of nursery nurses for under-fives in the borough looked to have been won this week, as Hounslow Council scrapped plans to axe them.

In response to unprecedented outrage among parents and teachers, on Tuesday the council abandoned the proposals in favour of a reduction in growth to the education budget across all age ranges.

Calls have been flooding into the Times since it was revealed last month that a disappointing grant from the government for 2002/3 could lead to cuts of up to £2 million from next year's education budget.

Early Years support staff - who help teachers in reception classes of up to 30 youngsters - were said to be most at risk if cuts are to be made after Hounslow received one of the lowest grant settlements in London.

It is too early for celebration however, as Council Leader Cllr John Connelly revealed that cuts would still have to be made.

If parents would prefer to see cuts across the whole age range rather than concentrated in reception classes then we are prepared to accept that view,'' he said.

Residents face a stark choice - either agree to a council tax rise of up to six per cent or be prepared for cuts across the spectrum of council services.

A public consultation document has been prepared, with the council urging all residents to fill it in before the deadline date of February 27th.

Outlined options include council tax rises of two, four and six per cent. These would leave the council looking to make cuts of £4.1m, £2.8m or £1.6m to their overall budget.

In actual terms, at rises of two and four per cent, day centres for the elderly and children, parks, community groups and disabled services would suffer.

Hounslow received a grant increase of just 4.36 per cent on the previous year, below the national average of 5.35 per cent, raising concerns that the borough was once again being overlooked by the government.

Cllr Connelly explained that currently 54 per cent of the council's budget was spent on education, with 22 per cent on social services, leaving less than a quarter for everything else.

So with such significant savings to make, we have no option but to look at the £142 million education budget,'' he added.

At six per cent council tax rise the impact on education would be relatively small. Any reduction under £2m would not be a threat to employment, but the decision would rest with individual governing bodies.

We would need to look at some housekeeping elsewhere, and schools would be facing 1.5 per cent less growth, but not a cut in where they are now.

I would say to schools that they need to manage their budgets tightly. It is a case of deciding priorities as they would receive slightly less money than they would like. Most schools have large enough budgets to have choices.''

Over the last four years, the council have striven to meet the Standard Spending Assessment for education, increasing funding each year above the government recommendation, but they claim they can no longer afford to do so.

Schools have received extra money above the SSA for the last four years and now they have to help us out a little,'' said Cllr Connelly. Savings in the past have been directed at everything except social services and education, which we cannot keep doing.

We are not against education. We have now hit a problem we can't bear ourselves without asking the education budget to help share the pain.''

He added: This is a particularly difficult year and hopefully in future years it won't be so bad. It may come to a point where we are putting money back into services.''

Both borough MPs, Ann and Alan Keen, welcomed the news on nursery nurses, and in a joint statement they said: We are very pleased that the leadership at Hounslow has withdrawn this proposal which would have inflicted enormous damage on Early Years learning in Hounslow.

The withdrawal of this proposal is a credit to the many parents, teachers, headteachers, governors and many others amongst us who have opposed these proposals from the start.

We very much hope that the leadership will now listen more closely to the people of Hounslow before any further proposals are put forward.''

But the proposals to trim the education budget were attacked by opposition councillors as well as parents and teachers.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Ray Fincher (Hanworth) said: On the education front I am totally opposed to the options the council have identified. Hounslow has received a lousy settlement this year and they are proposing to plunder education to try and keep other things afloat.

Labour has a good reputation for Early Years education and to say that talk of getting rid of nursery nurses is a retrograde step is an understatement.

This will be a difficult year, but I understand that things can't be done for nothing. There is a need for a less than popular rise in council tax, but I wouldn't like to put an exact figure on it yet.''

Independent councillor Phil Andrews (Isleworth South), said of the council's U-turn: It's good news for the nursery nurses and a powerful example of what community power can achieve, but it doesn't address the essential issue, which is cuts to the education budget.

They are still proposing swingeing cuts and the fight goes on.''

Colleague Cllr John Murphy (Independent, Feltham South) added: I am not convinced of the need for a cut in education. Secondary education, in particular, is in dire financial straits and I would support a rise in council tax if it would preserve vital services.''

Cllr Connelly will be making presentations on the budget at the Heston and Cranford and West area committees next Tuesday, and the Central Hounslow and Isleworth and Brentford area committees next Thursday, and he advised that no decisions were being made yet.

Following the February 27th deadline for consultation, the council will reveal on March 5th what cuts are being made to services. Consultation documents will be available at libraries, council offices and residents' groups from today (Friday).