A charity pre-school fears it may have to close because its landlord, the parish council, will not renew its lease.

Kings Hill Pre-School has been operating at a purpose-built provision within the parish-owned community centre in Gibson Drive for the past 16 years.

The pre-school educates 60 children a week, all but two from families in Kings Hill. It employs 10 full and part-time staff, and is run by a committee of volunteers, including parents, staff members and the head of a local primary school.

Lizzie Benge is the chairman of the committee. She has one child who has graduated from the pre-school already, one leaving this term, and another due to start in September.

She said: “Our lease expired in January at the start of the year

“We were in discussions about renewal with the parish council, but they asked us to wait until after the results of the May elections, which we did.

“They said they wanted to increase our rent from £5,000 a year to £12,000 a year – that’s a massive jump for us, especially when staff costs and everything else is going up. We are a not-for-profit organisation.”

“However, after a lot of thought, we said we would be able to take on the lease at £12,000, but it seems the parish wants to run its own pre-school, or to use the space for something else.

“The uncertainty is causing a great deal of concern for parents, and for these families who were hoping to join us in September. Members of staff have understandably begun looking for other jobs because they are worried about the future.”

An online petition set up by one of the parents has already garnered more than 500 signatures demanding the parish council renew the lease. You can sign it here.

Petition organiser Rachel Taylor said: “Closing the pre-school would be a huge loss to our community. It is well-managed and successful.

“Moving to new premises would be a massive and unnecessary waste of money, time and resources for the charity, with no benefit for the parents and children who rely on the service.”

“We do not want the pre-school to be replaced by one run as a business by the parish council.”

The pre-school was inspected by Ofsted in January this year and received a “good” rating in all areas.

Parents are planning to attend a meeting of the parish council tomorrow (July 20) at 7.30pm, when the lease is to be discussed. But they won't hear the debate, as the council has scheduled it for a private session.

Tony Petty is the parish council chairman.

He said: “We are not the bad guys here. We will ensure there is continued pre-school provision in Kings Hill.”

While stressing that it was a “delicate” ongoing matter with no decision reached yet, he said the parish was concerned about the pre-school’s financial viability going forward.

He said: “Next April the government is planning to increase the number of funded hours. That is going to place pre-schools across the country in a very difficult financial position, because they will get only the government allowance for hours where they have previously been able to charge a higher rate.

“I think we will see a lot of pre-schools closing.

“The parish council is in a strong financial position. I don't know why the pre-school committee is so resistant to our trying to improve the pre-school.

“It’s an emotive subject because it is about children. But I have four grandchildren aged five and younger. I know all about pre-schools.”

Sherri Revell is the pre-school manager. She dismissed the concerns about viability.

She said: “We break even on the current subsidy, which is £4.55 an hour, and KCC has said it will increase that in September.

“Our accounts are published online and they show we have always broken even each year and we have reserves.

“I think the council wants to replace us with a commercial pre-school, so they can charge even more rent.”

The pre-school’s past pupils include double-amputee Tony Hudgell.

The pre-school has received support from Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat (Con) who has written to the parish council to ask it: “Why further negotiations have not been held with the pre-school since they are well supported in the community and have a clear desire to continue running the pre-school as has happened in recent years.’’

Earlier this year KentOnline reported how more than 30 childcare providers had shut in just four months.

Mrs Revell said:‘’The pre-school has been an important part of the community for many years, and I have had the pleasure of seeing not only the preschool grow but hundreds of children flourish and start the next chapter of their lives when they go off to big school.

“It will incredibly sad if this vital Early Years setting is unable to carry on.”