PARENTS are facing a 20 per cent hike in fees and paying for extras in a bid secure the future of a popular nursery ­— which a year ago was under threat of closure.

Harvey Nursery, in Great Lever, will charge for meals, snacks and nappies under Bolton Council plans to keep finances in the black.

A full day at nursery which currently costs £39 will rise to £46. A weekly charge will rise to £210 from £175.

Parents of children eligible for funded places­ will have to pay for extras, ranging from £1 to £2.

The nursery will cater for 68 under-fives instead of the current 46 places. And the nursery will take under-twos in paid-for places.

The nursery, in one of the borough’s most deprived area, is the council’s only day care nursery and in September 2017 controversial proposals were put forward to shut it. It led to an outcry by parents and a campaign to keep it open.

Town hall chiefs scrapped the closure plans saying they had “listened” and set up a management committee to review the budget and this week announced their plans to keep the nursery open.

It includes a review of fees and charges for “consumables”, new fees and a charging structure as well as changes to opening hours and admission range and numbers of children, all in a bid to reduce the annual deficit of almost £68,000.

The council says this means standardising session times, reducing reliance on agency staff and introducing small additional charges for meals, snacks and nappies. If the plan is implemented in full, the nursery is expected to run a balanced budget from April, 2019.

Parents who pay for nursery care will face a 20 per cent increase in fees, which will include the cost of meals, snacks and other additional consumables, which, says the council, will bring the nursery in line with current Bolton childcare costs. No existing members of staff will lose their job as a result of the proposed changes.

Staff, trade unions, stakeholders and parents of children at the nursery will have 30 days to register their views on the proposals.

Executive cabinet member for education, schools, safeguarding and looked-after children, Cllr Ann Cunliffe, said: “Central government funding cuts have forced us to make some difficult decisions about the services we can deliver.

“However, we have listened to the community and put together a set of proposals that will allow Harvey Nursery to remain open on a financially sustainable footing.

“The proposed changes will allow the service to meet local demand, while small additional charges will bring Harvey Nursery in line with childcare costs across Bolton.

“We will now consult with staff and parents about the proposed changes before any final decision is made.”