Councillors on a Bath and North East Somerset scrutiny panel have dismissed a call-in to review a recent decision to close two Council-run nurseries in the area.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, Cllr Paul May, welcomed the fact that the panel of scrutiny councillors decided to support his original decision over the future the nurseries.
The decision by the panel to dismiss the ‘call-in’ means that the Council will cease operating two loss-making Council-run nurseries at St Nicholas Primary School in Radstock and at St Martins Garden School in Bath.
The Council had taken the decision to cease operating the nurseries from this July for two main reasons:
- Firstly, both nurseries have been operating at a loss for a number of years, resulting in additional pressure on the Council’s Children’s Services budget; and
- Secondly, it is believed independent and private nurseries and childcare will be able to provide sufficient childcare provision in the two areas without the Council needing to step-in.
The Council has a duty to ensure there is sufficient childcare available for working parents, but is not expected to be the direct provider of childcare unless absolutely necessary.
Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, Councillor Paul May (Conservative Publow Whitchurch), said: “The decision on whether the Council should step-back from directly running nursery provision in a local area is never one that is taken lightly.
“However, as the cabinet member I have a duty to ensure our services both meet out statutory duties and operate effectively within the available budget. I therefore welcome the panel’s decision to dismiss the call-in.
“When it comes to nursery provision, the Council has a duty to ensure there are sufficient childcare places available for working parents – but the Council is not expected to be the direct provider of childcare and is not the best provider to run such services efficiently.
“These two nurseries have been running at a loss for a number of years, and with a robust and growing independent sector in the local childcare market it was felt that the time is right for the Council to step back from directly running these nurseries.”
Councillor May added: “This is a service where the independent childcare sector can and will come in to meet local needs and is not one which needs to rely on the Council as a provider.
“Given this, it would not be appropriate for us to continue spending tax-payers’ money to keep loss-making nurseries open when the independent sector can offer suitable childcare provision.
“To continue doing so would also mean the Council taking business away from other independent childcare providers.
“The Council cannot sustain a position of subsidising two loss-making nurseries when there are alternative providers in those areas who could offer sufficient capacity.
“We have developed with the private sector excellent local provision in the area which are monitored by Ofsted with good and excellent ratings.
“We will continue to work with the childcare sector to promote alternative providers to create capacity in these areas as needed.”
B&NES Labour Group spokesperson for Children and Young People, Cllr Liz Hardman (Labour, Paulton) said “I am very disappointed with this decision. These two nurseries serve two of the most deprived areas of B&NES – Radstock and Foxhill.
“Both areas show persistent relative deprivation which are extreme when seen against the wealth of much of B&NES.
“We have been told that the nurseries are running at a loss and that they are below numbers: well that is hardly a surprise.
“As soon as parents heard that they may close, they started the process of seeking alternative places for the children.
“However, the problem is that there are not enough other places. In Radstock, particularly, for every 100 nursery places needed, there are only 73 available.
“The alternative childcare is often in the wrong location, open for fewer hours and limited to older children.
“I do not believe that the decision has taken sufficient account of the impact on families and children in crisis, families with challenging children and families with children with disabilities.
“As a Council we should be willing and able to provide services to children and families in need. Instead it appears that when it comes to services to children and young people, B&NES Council is only interested in providing the bare minimum.”
Bath and North East Somerset Council works with local private, voluntary and independent sector providers to plan, support and commission childcare as necessary to ensure sufficient places are available.
In the past, the Council has made the decision to step into the market and become a direct nursery provider when the levels of provision in the local market were particularly low.
The Council has already successfully stepped back from the direct provision of two-year-old places in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton, with independent providers stepping in to ensure sufficient childcare capacity in these areas.
A number of the children attending the Radstock nursery come from surrounding areas where there is more alternative provision available.
Under the decision taken by Councillor May, the Council would continue to run the nurseries until July, so that many children will transition directly to school and we will support the others to transition to alternative childcare providers.
The Council will also continue to work with locally based staff, such as health visitors, to identify any vulnerable children and ensure their needs are assessed and support put in place as necessary so that they will not be disadvantaged by the closure of the Council nurseries.
The closure of the nurseries does not affect the funding available for families to receive up to 30 hours of free childcare per week for three and four-year olds.