The Save Our Stanley’s Campaign is continuing to call for South Tyneside Council to “come to the table” and speak to them.

Campaigners calling South Tyneside Council to reconsider making cuts to Stanley’s nurseries have continued to call for the local authority to listen to their views.

Staff at the South Tyneside Accredited Network for Learning in the Early Years (Stanley’s) have been in a consultation over the future of their jobs since mid-June.

South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet is set to meet on September 23, where a decision on the future of the service is expected to be made.

The Save Our Stanley's Campaign is calling for South Tyneside Council to "come to the table" and listen to their views over proposals to close the childcare provision. | Other 3rd Party

placeholder image — The Save Our Stanley's Campaign is calling for South Tyneside Council to "come to the table" and listen to their views over proposals to close the childcare provision. | Other 3rd Party

Empty table at South Shields Town Hall

The Save Our Stanley’s campaign has held a number of protests over the last few months to urge the local authority to rethink the proposals.

Their latest demonstration took place on Sunday evening (September 13) as campaigners set out ten teddy bears to represent the ten Stanley’s nurseries sitting on one side of a table, at South Shields Town Hall.

There was an empty chair on the other side to represent South Tyneside Council - with the campaign group inviting the local authority to “finally take its seat” and listen to them.

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Messages to South Tyneside Council from campaigners were placed on the table outside of South Shields Town Hall. | Other 3rd Party

‘We've been ready to talk from the beginning’

A spokesperson for the Save Our Stanley’s Campaign said: “The Save Our Stanley’s Campaign have spent months trying to engage constructively with the Council over proposals that could see all ten council-run nurseries close.

“We have attended meetings, submitted questions and evidence, gathered thousands of petition signatures and repeatedly raised concerns about childcare sufficiency, accessibility and the impact these proposals would have on children, families and the wider community.

“Yet we (families) have not been included in the formal consultation on the proposed closures.

“The families are here. The ten nurseries are represented. We've been ready to talk from the beginning. The empty chair belongs to the Council.

“We have tried every possible route to engage constructively.

The Save Our Stanley's Campaign are calling for South Tyneside Council to reconsider making cuts to the nursery provision. | Iconic Media Group

“We are now just days away from a decision that could permanently change early-years provision across South Tyneside.

“Please don't take away our children's ‘best start in life’.

“We are urging councillors to scrutinise the evidence, listen to the families directly affected and ensure our unanswered questions are addressed before making the final decision.”

South Tyneside Council has previously stated that “no final decisions” will be made until it’s Cabinet meets next Wednesday, where it is set to consider the future of the Stanley’s provision.