ANGRY parents claim Scottish Borders Council is guilty of discrimination over its roll out of additional nursery provision.

From August 2020, the local authority will be required to offer 1140 hours of free childcare for all three- and four-year-olds, as well as eligible two-year-olds, from the current provision of 600 hours.

The roll out of the increased hours began almost two years ago within the most deprived school catchment areas of the Borders, according to the Child Poverty Index.

Although the roll out has so far been reasonably smooth with additional childcare provision being found for each catchment area, the planned additional hours for a school in Peebles this year has been met with opposition.

From August parents of children in the Kingsland Primary catchment area will be entitled to the additional hours, a year ahead of children from Priorsford Primary.

An online petition calling for a rethink has attracted more than 250 signatures.

And today (Monday) several of the parents will table their petition in front of the Scrutiny Committee at Newtown St Boswells.

Parent Christine Irvine, who raised the petition, stated: " The decision to roll out increased provision of nursery hours by catchment area is discriminatory.

"In a small community such as Peebles, the roll out would have been fairer to offer nursery children a partial increase."