The issues detailed in section 5 have been raised with our local MSP’s Jim Tolson, Bill Walker and also the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Willie Rennie as well as John Swinney Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth.
Letter from Jim Tolson to John Swinney, 15th February 2011, which highlights the inequalities between a Child minding and nursery business, which are even worse than he thought, his letter states that Child minders pay 2/3rds less rates when in effect the majority do not pay any Business Rates.
Letter from John Swinney to Jim Tolson, 3rd March 2011, (the issue of child minding has not been addressed).
Letter from John Swinney to Bill Walker, 22nd September 2012, (John Swinney confirms that Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) will be addressing the size of child minders, however no action is
detailed. Mr Swinney states “that there is no restriction on what childminders call themselves or trade as.”, however our view and that of Trading Standards, they can not pretend to be something that they are not and he also notes that they cannot pretend to be a company.
Mr. Tolson, Mr. Walker and Mr. Rennie have all written letters on our behalf to Fife Council and to date they have not received a full and conclusive response to the issues detailed in Section 5.