Issue - items at meetings - Future of Brightstart Nursery

Report of the Strategic Director, People (copy attached).

RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member agrees:

1)     Withdraws the proposal to close the nursery by the end of April 2010 and, to reassure parents and staff that there will be no change to the status of the nursery before September 2011.

2)     To increase the fees for the nursery from April 2011 in line with fees increases in other Council run nurseries in the city and to consider other measures to improve the sustainability of the nursery.

3)     The development of a proposal for how the Bright Start nursery could be offered as a community assets in advance of the Localism legislation and to consult on this proposal before making a final decision about the future of Bright Start including the option of closure.

61.1         The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Strategic Director, People. The report recommended the withdrawal of the proposal to close the nursery and an extension of the consultation period in light of the responses to the consultation and the Council meeting held on 16 December 2010.

61.2         Councillor Hawkes conveyed her deep unhappiness with the way the subject had been handled. Councillor Hawkes questioned the viability of the proposal for the nursery to be run as a community asset and the marketing of the nursery hitherto especially with regard to local business and other public bodies in close proximity. She re-iterated that the Nursery had not been saved and the decision on closure would still have to be made at some point in the future. Councillor Hawkes noted with concern that trade union representatives felt ostracised from the process and urged the Strategic Director and officers to strengthen their co-operation in order to achieve the best outcome for all parties.

61.3         The Strategic Director, People reassured Councillor Hawkes that their co-operation and relations with trade union organisations were taken very seriously.

61.4         The Cabinet Member noted that the fact that the consultation had been extended showed that input from all groups was given full consideration. She referred to a community run playgroup based in Fiveways which was one of the city’s best, as indication that such proposals could be viable.

61.5         Councillor Fryer relayed her fundamental disagreement with the consideration of closure of the nursery. As the city’s second largest employer, she believed the provision of nursery facilities was an essential duty of the Local Authority. Councillor Fryer asked how the consultation on the proposal for the transferal of the nursery to a community asset would be delivered.

61.6         The Cabinet Member clarified that the Parents and Workers Group consisting of the nursery manager, senior practitioner, practitioner, line manager and parents would be re-established to consider proposals and advise the Local Authority on the matter.

61.7         RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member agrees to:

1)                 Withdraw the proposal to close the nursery by the end of April 2011 and, to reassure parents and staff that there will be no change to the status of the nursery before September 2011.

2)                 Increase the fees for the nursery from April 2011 in line with fees increases in other Council run nurseries in the city and to consider other measures to improve the sustainability of the nursery.

3)                 The development of a proposal for how the Bright Start nursery could be offered as a community asset in advance of the Localism legislation and to consult on this proposal before making a final decision about the future of Bright Start including the option of closure.