Nursery school closures to be revealed within weeks

Published on Friday 28 May 2010 10:06

THE names of three nurseries that will face being shut down will be revealed within weeks.

City council officials are understood to be on the brink of finalising details of the first part of a review of the city's nursery schools that will see three being closed down.

An internal report seen by the Evening News has set a June deadline for completing the "rationalisation of early years establishments" review.

The team of seven education officials are expected to reveal their recommendations ahead of a children and families committee meeting on 15 June.

But the "secretive" process has been criticised by parents and opposition councillors, who say that nursery bosses and parents have not been involved in the decision-making.

Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group on the council, said: "The target date for completing the project is June, so it is only days away yet they are still not willing to name which nurseries will close.

"Parents will be making a decision right now on where to send their children and they need to know what is happening."

During a discussion of council budgets at a meeting of the full council yesterday, city leaders agreed to ensure "proper engagement with community groups and service users" on any proposed cuts, "with the aim of radically improving the transparency of the budget process".

However, Cllr Burns said that has not been seen during the nursery closures project. He said: "They say they want to be frank and open about the budget process, yet they want to close these three nursery schools within a matter of months and there's been no consultation with the parents or the schools themselves.

"They have got to be able to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, and this whole process has been shrouded in secrecy."

A budget saving of 240,000 over the next two years is to be found from closing three nurseries.

Officials are expected to seek to close them as soon as they can after the review is complete.

However, they will have to go through a potentially lengthy statutory consultation process, which may mean that not all of them can close in the 2010-11 financial year.

Fiona Baillie, chair of the parent council at Spinney Lane nursery school, said she was not aware of any involvement of parents or nursery teachers in the decision-making process of council officials so far. She said: "If nobody knows about these types of things until they are decided, it is very difficult to influence the decision."

A city council spokesman said: "Discussions are ongoing about how to make savings in the early years sector. If there was any proposed closure of schools or nurseries, a full consultation would take place."

BUYER SAVES DEBT-HIT FACILITY

A DEBT-ridden nursery has found a new buyer – safeguarding the jobs of 15 staff.

Prime Time Nursery, on Queen Street, had been ordered to liquidate by the Court of Session after sinking into debt, but liquidator Matt Henderson, of Johnston Carmichael, agreed terms with new owner Silver Strawberry to purchase the business and the assets for upwards of 1 million.

Mr Henderson requested a court sanction to keep the nursery open in October last year and has operated it under licence for the last seven months.

He has now agreed terms with the new owner.