‘Nowhere else to go’ - South Shields MP calls for Stanley’s to be saved in the House of Commons
The Member of Parliament for South Shields has backed the Save Our Stanley’s campaign in Parliament.
The MP for South Shields has raised South Tyneside Council’s proposed cuts to the South Tyneside Accredited Network for Learning in the Early Years (Stanley’s) in the House of Commons.
Emma Lewell has called on the government to issue tighter controls on local authorities to prevent the cutting of services that have a direct impact on many within their local communities.
It comes after South Tyneside Council informed staff that there is a possibility that all Stanley’s centres across the borough could close - with a staff consultation period due to last until around the end of July.
Both Emma and Kate Osborne, MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, have backed the campaign calling for Stanley’s to be saved.
Calls for tighter controls
In the House of Commons on Thursday, July 16, the South Shields MP called on the government to press for tighter controls to prevent cuts like this from happening.
Ms Lewell said: “Reform-led South Tyneside Council are planning to close down our publicly-ran, high-quality, Stanley’s nurseries and daycare.
“This affects hundreds of children, their families, and staff.
“Their campaigners’ petition has raised over 11,000 signatures.
“If the seven Stanley’s close in South Shields, these children have nowhere else to go.
“Can my right honourable friend urgently use his good offices to press for tighter controls on councils that ride roughshod over their communities like this?”
Hopes that South Tyneside Council will reconsider
In response, Sir Alan Campbell, MP for Tynemouth and Leader of the House of Commons, has stated that he hopes that South Tyneside Council will reconsider any proposed cuts to Stanley’s.
He stated: “My honourable friend is a great champion for her fantastic constituency and she highlights what has been a theme of many of our sessions, which is that Reform offers a great deal in order to get elected and then they deliver very little when they actually have been elected.
“I hope, perhaps because I’m an optimist, that South Tyneside Council have heard what my honourable friend has said here today and that they change their mind.
“I also hope that the residents that are affected reflect on that and do everything they can do to campaign, because I can guarantee, knowing my honourable friend very well, that she’s not going to give up on this.”
Petitions and protests
Ms Lewell’s comments come days after the Save Our Stanley’s campaign submitted a petition, with more than 11,000 signatures, calling for the childcare service to be saved to South Tyneside Council.
The campaign group, led by Hebburn mum Joanna Taylor and other affected parents, placed 402 pairs of children’s shoes outside of South Shields Town Hall on Tuesday, July 14, to show how many children would be impacted if they nurseries were to close.