TWO pre-schools in north Oxfordshire including one in Banbury were among those which lost out as 14 improvement projects were scrapped across the county.

The Grimsbury Family Association Play Group in East Street and Deddington Village Nursery have both missed out as the Government cut £2.75m from its £14m funding pot for Oxfordshire.

The news means that more than half of the county’s 26 improvement projects for children’s centres and pre-schools will not go ahead.

However most of the county’s large-scale projects have been saved.

Deddington Village Nursery lost out on an £18,000 grant to revamp and prolong the life of its temporary classroom and to build a canopy extension to allow children to learn and play outdoors in all weather conditions.

The classroom has already reached the end of its lifespan but nursery bosses hope to keep the building in Hempton Road operational for another five years.

Cash was also set to be spent on new climbing equipment for the nursery’s 30 children, wet weather playsuits and wooden planters to establish a vegetable garden.

Early years manager Sarah Inkpen said: “It’s disappointing.

“We had our AGM on Monday night and everyone’s totally gutted.

“Everyone was really excited, we had the plans drawn up and managed to get some really decent quotes so it’s knocked everyone off their feet really.

“The plans will have to be shelved now.

“We are a charity and the fundraising we do just keeps us afloat at the moment.

“I don’t see how we can ever raise enough through local donations to make it happen.”

However, parents and children at the Rainbow Pre-school in Bicester are celebrating after they were saved by a £500,000 grant for a replacement school building.

The school at Glory Farm was set to close within a year unless funding for a new portable building could be found.

Joint manager Mandy Zdyrko said: “There were a few tears when we found out, we are absolutely ecstatic. “Funding is tight at the moment so this makes us extra appreciative.”

The new building set to open by Easter next year will allow the pre-school to increase its pupil roll from 70 to 100 and also extend its opening hours by holding new breakfast and after school clubs.

County Hall made its decision on which projects would be axed as part of the Department of Education’s efforts to cut £1bn from its budget in this financial year.

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families, Louise Chapman, said: “I share the disappointment of those who can’t now go ahead with their projects.

“I really do sympathise, but this is the financial situation the whole country faces and there are difficult decisions to be made.

“Among the criteria considered for those projects which are going ahead was those capable of completion by March 2011 and in the case of pre-schools, looking at where there was a real need for places in particular areas.

“I realise that is little comfort to those who have been disappointed but there simply isn’t the money to pay for everything now.”

No-one from the Grimsbury Family Association Play Group was available to comment as the Banbury Cake went to press.