On Friday 2 October, the Municipal Committee of the Municipality of Spata–Artemida unanimously approved the amendment to the Municipality’s Internal Service Regulations. This amendment establishes permanent staff posts for the three municipal nurseries and crèches. The decision (618/2026) was published on the ‘Diafania’ transparency portal on Monday 12 October.
More contract staff than permanent staff
The municipality has three nurseries. The 1st Spata Municipal Nursery has a capacity of 125 pre-school children and 24 infants. The 1st Artemida Municipal Nursery has 38 pre-school children. The 2nd Artemida Municipal Nursery and Crèche has 40 pre-school children and 20 infants. All centres are permitted to exceed their capacity by up to 10 per cent. They are open from 7.00 am to 4.00 pm.
There are 18 permanent staff members working at these stations. Four of them hold positions of responsibility. On 29 June, when the new Local Government Code came into force, there were also 30 fixed-term contract staff: 11 nursery teachers, one pre-school teacher, seven nursery assistants, three cooks, two kitchen staff and six cleaners. Since 2015, the Municipality has been recruiting such staff every year through European programmes, such as ‘Reconciling Family and Professional Life’. The proposal itself states that this staff meets ‘permanent and ongoing needs’.
The regulations governing nurseries set out staffing ratios. A baby group of up to 12 infants requires two nursery teachers and one assistant. A nursery group of up to 25 children requires one nursery teacher and one assistant. Nursery staff work 30 hours a week, not 40.
Which positions are recommended
According to the staffing requirements table in the decision, 32 posts are recommended for the centres: - 1 university-qualified teacher (PE) - 11 early years teachers (TE) - 8 nursery assistants - 3 cooks - 2 kitchen staff posts - 7 indoor cleaning posts
One Administrative and Financial Officer post is also being added, corresponding to the contract-based nursery school teacher. This post can meet the needs of any department within the Municipality. For the nursery posts, at least 24 months’ experience is required. There is an inconsistency in the decision: where the cleaning posts are added, the text states ‘six (6)’, whilst the table and the needs assessment indicate seven. This single post determines whether the total, including administrative staff, is 32 or 33.
The maximum estimated cost is 435,612 euros per year and will be covered by the budget for 2027 and subsequent years.
What it means and what it doesn’t mean
The creation of posts does not constitute recruitment. The posts will be filled in accordance with the procedure laid down in the new Code, and current contract staff will not automatically be granted permanent status. The circular from the Ministry of the Interior gave local authorities until 30 September to amend their organisational structures. The department’s recommendation is dated 29 September and the Committee reached its decision on 2 October. The decision does not state whether this has any implications.
The new posts provide job security for staff, not more places for children. The capacity of each nursery is determined by its operating licence. In Artemida, the two centres together can accommodate 78 toddlers and 20 infants, plus 10 per cent. In September, we had recorded 43 children on the waiting list at Artemida and, in a more recent update, 42 infants. To reduce this waiting list, facilities and licences are needed, not just staff.
Source: Municipality of Spata–Artemida, Municipal Committee Decision 618/2026 (meeting of 2 October 2026), Diafania, 12 October 2026.
