Finding childcare for young children can be a real headache for working parents – not only are places often at a premium but the cost can be hideously expensive.

So the Government scheme to offer free nursery places for 15 hours a week for two-year-olds, especially in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, is on the face of it very good news for those who need or want to continue working while their children are very small.

Bradford is especially affected by the new policy, with more than 5,200 children eligible to take up the places, which will be in both state-run and private nursery schools and schemes.

But this commendable scheme is causing something of a problem for Bradford Council, which is responsible for making sure it all works smoothly when it comes in this September.

There is a shortfall of around 1,000 nursery school places for children in the district, which the local authority has to tackle. It has done this with new buildings and extensions to existing facilities, but still expects to miss the target in many areas.

It is a similar problem the Council is facing with the need to upgrade kitchen facilities in primary schools to deliver the Government promise of free school meals for under-sevens, as reported earlier in the week.

These projects are vitally important in ensuring our young children the best start in life, be that through nutritious, healthy food or proper care when parents are working, but it would appear that these ideas have not always been accompanied by the time and resources necessary for the local authorities which have to make them a reality.