UPSET AND ANGER AFTER COUNCIL ANNOUNCES PROPOSALS FOR NURSERY CLOSURES

The proposal to close five council-run nurseries late last week came as a shock to both those employees and the families which rely on the centres.

Salford Council cites its inability to afford subsidisation of the £1.5m running costs due to changes in its funding from central government, as its reason for the proposed closures.

These latest closures would result in parents currently relying on the centres at Little Hulton, Winton, Barton Moss, Higher Broughton and Belvedere day nurseries, struggling to find affordable alternatives. 

Not only would this lead to job losses for those working within the centres but it would put huge pressures upon parents who rely on them to take care of their children in order that they can hold down jobs themselves. 

A petition against closure has been started and can be found here:

https://www.change.org/p/salford-city-council-save-salford-council-s-five-outstanding-nurseries

Salford has itself seen unprecedented levels of economic growth over the last five years with £1.3 billion private sector investment and £425m public sector, which has seen a rise of 8.3% of those in work. Yet still, the City remains the 22nd of 326 of the most deprived local authorities in England, which has left some asking how this can be?

It is not only those working in the centres that rely on them for jobs but those who use them.

One lady, we spoke to who does not wish to be named, told us:

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“This is simply stupidity, stupidity on a huge scale, it will put people who can’t afford the costs of private nurseries into financial difficulties as unless they can find another affordable alternative then they will simply have to give up their jobs to take care of their kids.

“At a time when money is tight, and the council is talking about raising council taxes later this year, it’s just a step too far for some families and they will no doubt suffer greatly because of the knock-on effect.

“It’s not just the staff at the centres who will be out of work, it will also be many of the parents who will have to leave work too...

“How can this be happening in a City that we are continually told is on the rise? It's like a tale of two cities, one for the rich and one for the rest."

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Salford Council issued a statement earlier in the week, saying that were being forced to make a further £11.2m worth of budget cuts overall, due to a drop in the funding it receives from the government. 

Combined with government changes on how the Early Years Dedicated School Grant funding can be used, it was considered that consultation on the closure of the nurseries should take place over the next three months.

Meanwhile, a public meeting has been called for Saturday 17^th of Feb, 11am, at Hemsley House on Salford Crescent.

Salford City UNISON, the union which represents all five of the nurseries targeted for closure, has urged all those affected to attend the meeting to discuss possibilities on how to keep them open.

SalfordVoice will be live-streaming the meeting for those who can not attend.