Agenda item

This report sets out the response to an issue raised by Councillor Maple regarding the impending closure of All Saints Nursery.

This report also advises the Committee of a petition received by the Council which falls within the remit of this Committee on the same matter and includes a summary of the response sent to the lead petitioner by officers. A petition referral request has been received for consideration at this meeting.

Discussion:

The Committee received a report which set out the response to both an issue raised by Councillor Maple, in relation to the impending closure of All Saints Nursery and a petition received by the Council, which fell within the remit of this Committee, on the same matter.

In accordance with the Council’s petitions scheme, this petition had been referred to the Committee for discussion.

The Committee welcomed Councillor Maple, who introduced the lead petitioner, Mr Qureshi. Mr Qureshi set out the reasons for his petition. Mr Qureshi explained that the decision to close All Saints Nursery was very sudden and that the decision was made without consultation with the 43 families affected.  He added, it was difficult to find an alternative provision and asked why an alternative provider could not take over the provision, for example, All Saints School, Magpie Hall Road, Chatham. Mr Qureshi expressed concern over some possible complexities associated with conditions on the consent to develop the wider area and questioned the use of funding for other Council activities.

Councillor Maple spoke in support of the petitioner’s concerns and advised the Committee that in addition to the paper petition, 700 signatures were received on an e-petition hosted by change.org, which could not be accepted under the Council’s current petition scheme. He recognised the interim position to extend the opening of the Nursery to the end of the academic year and welcomed an update on a permanent solution. Councillor Maple also raised some further concerns including, the loss of high quality staff, to whom he thanked for their services to the youngest in the community and inadequate communication by officers with Ward Councillors. He added that Ward Councillors would want to be advised of both the negative and positive news.   

Councillor Maple also expressed concern in support of Mr Qureshi’s previous comments regarding complexities associated with conditions on building consent. He added that there might be a number of cases in any Council owned building where an existing covenant would preclude the building from being used for purposes other than that originally specified and that this may warrant further scrutiny. 

The Director of Children and Adults Services referred to the conversations he had had with Councillor Maple in relation to communication between officers and Ward Councillors and undertook to improve this.

The Head of Early Years Service reiterated the comments set out in Section 3 to the report and added there had originally been no clear, secure and safe arrangement in place for 1 January 2018. However, following an interim solution which had been secured, the Head of Early Years Service confirmed negotiations were ongoing with a provider for a permanent solution and an in principle agreement had been made with another partner organisation.

In response to a question from a Member whether the existing children would be accommodated under the new provider, the Head of Early Years Service confirmed all children currently attending the nursery would be able to also attend the Nursery under the new provider.

Members requested an update to be provided to the Committee, Ward Councillors and parents, as soon as the permanent solution was agreed and an update report also be provided to the Committee in the summer on the topic of Sure Start Children’s Centre arrangements.

The Head of Early Years Service was thanked for his contribution to the Service, as it was noted he would be leaving the Council at the end of the year and he paid tribute to all Members for their commitment to young children in Medway.

Decision:

The Committee thanked Councillor Maple and Mr Qureshi for their attendance and:

a)    Noted this report  and in particular that officers have confirmed All Saints Nursery, in Magpie Hall Road, will remain open until July 2018; and

b)    Noted that a permanent solution was being sought to keep the nursery open after the summer break in 2018 and following confirmation on future permanent arrangements, Members and parents would be updated.