Labour MP Emma Lewell's letter urges Cabinet to reject Stanley's nurseries closure plan
Labour MP Emma Lewell has written to South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet urging them to reject the proposal to close Stanley’s nurseries, citing the vital role they play in the community.
MP Emma Lewell has written to South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet urging them to reject the proposal to close Stanley’s nurseries.
On Tuesday, September 15, a report that comes ahead of next week’s Cabinet meeting recommended that all ten Stanley’s Daycare Nurseries close.
At the meeting on Wednesday, September 23, the borough’s top councillors will make a decision on the childcare provision.
If councillors go ahead with the proposals, all of the Stanley’s Daycare Nurseries will close from July 31, 2027.
Emma Lewell, Labour MP for South Shields, wrote a letter to Cabinet members in which she asked them “to reject any move resulting in the closure” of the nurseries.
She stated she had heard from parents, residents, carers and staff in recent weeks about “the vital role” the nurseries play in the community.
“Consequences extending far beyond the nursery itself”
Part of the letter read: “Early years education and childcare are simply not services; they are investments in children’s development, school readiness, and long-term wellbeing.
“They also provide essential support to working parents and carers, enabling them to participate in employment, training and education.
“The closure of Stanley’s would therefore have consequences extending far beyond the nursery itself, affecting family finances, local employment, health and wellbeing and the wider community.”
The letter also raised concerns over whether local capacity for childcare in the borough can meet long-term demand for childcare places.
It calls for members to “rigorously” test “assumptions” about future capacity, market expansion and the ability for other providers to absorb childcare places before a decision is made.
The letter also notes that for many children, particularly those with SEN, benefit from stability.
“Once a dedicated service and its experienced workforce are lost, they cannot be easily recreated,” the letter said.
The Save Our Stanley’s Campaign has been calling for South Tyneside Council to reconsider their proposals - with the campaign having been backed by the borough’s MPs.
The Council has stressed that its Cabinet hasn’t made a final decision on Stanley’s and won’t do so ahead of the meeting on September 23.