Save Our Stanley’s Campaign submits 11,600 signatures to South Tyneside Council

Campaigners called for South Tyneside Council to reconsider proposing cuts to the South Tyneside Accredited Network for Learning in the Early Years (Stanley’s) have submitted their petition.

The Save Our Stanley’s Campaign has submitted 11,600 signatures to the local authority, with more than 5,000 coming via an online petition and the rest from written signatures collected in the local community.

The petition and campaign was launched 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.

In order to urge the Council to reconsider, the group has conducted a number of protests outside of South Shields Town Hall.

The first involved a gathering of parents, union reps, and members of the public on Thursday, June 18.

The second saw the group place 402 pairs of children’s shoes outside of the building on Tuesday, July 14, to illustrate how many children will be impacted should the childcare provision close.

‘Everyone is just shocked’

Joanna Taylor, the lady who has launched the petition and spearheaded the campaign group, called on South Tyneside Council to listen to residents in the borough.

Speaking at the demonstration, the Hebburn mum-of-one said: “Obviously you can see the numbers online but until you actually see it in front of you, you don’t realise just how many children will be affected by this.

“The community has fully rallied behind us and it is amazing compared to when this first started.

“Everyone is just shocked that this could be railroaded through so quickly.

“To go from a review in February to now a potential closure is a big step and we want to know what has happened in between.

“The council can’t ignore us, there will be 402 children affected so they need to listen to their constituents.”

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The group has also organised another protest, which will see campaigners march from South Shields Market Square to South Shields Town Hall on Saturday, July 18.

South Tyneside Council has previously stated that “no decisions” have been made over the future of Stanley’s and that a consultation is ongoing with staff and trade unions.

Save Our Stanley’s is continuing to gather signatures, you can view the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/save-our-stanley-s.