Campaigners and staff have been left feeling ‘deflated’ and ‘disheartened’ after the news Stanley’s nurseries will close, but are determined not to give up.

Save Our Stanley’s campaigners have expressed their outrage at South Tyneside Council Cabinet’s decision to close 10 nurseries across the borough, but say they will not give up their fight.

On Wednesday, September 23, Cabinet decided to axe all Stanley’s nurseries despite campaigners pleas and a last ditch plea from a special committee meeting the evening before.

The report considered at the meeting states the current service is not financially sustainable and needs significant funding, with the service currently requiring an annual Council subsidy of around £1.1million.

All of the South Tyneside Accredited Network for Learning in the Early Years (Stanley’s) centres will close from July 31, 2027.

When the decision was made, campaigners in the public gallery were in an uproar and Cabinet members even left the room.

Leah Maughan is a parent but also works at a Stanley’s nursery. | Frank Reid

placeholder image — Leah Maughan is a parent but also works at a Stanley’s nursery. | Frank Reid

After campaigners gathered outside the town hall and yelled, “Shame on you” at the building as the meeting resumed.

“Disheartening.”

Leah Maughan, staff member and parent, said: “As a member of staff, it’s disheartening because I see day to day how people are affected by how happy or sad their child is coming into nursery, it plays a big role.

“As a parent, I chose to put my children into a Stanley’s nursery, seeing first hand the support and the love that they get. It helps them to develop so much and see them progress.

“I looked for a private nursery and they just don’t have the space. They say they can accept one child but not the other but they don’t have the hours which is unfortunate.”

Rachel Leathead outside of Town Hall after the meeting | Frank Reid

Rachel Leathead, staff member and parent, said: “I feel really deflated, it feels like the children’s best interests haven’t been heard.

“Seeing how much support personally I’ve given and all of my colleagues I know what standards are set at Stanley’s. I don’t know where these children are going to go.”

Before the meeting Joanna Taylor, a parent campaigner who has been heavily involved in demonstrations and peaceful protests over the last few months, told the Shields Gazette she was “terrified” Cabinet would move to shut the nurseries and this would be “detrimental” to people in South Tyneside.

Joanna and her partner both work full time and so do their child’s grandparents, meaning they will have no childcare come July 31, 2027.

Joanna Taylor speaking to press after the meeting. | Frank Reid

She said: “We don’t have any other childcare, I would have to quit work.

“It makes me feel angry, I’ve worked hard for my career and yes, obviously I wanted to have a child and a family but I expected to put her in some excellent settings such as Stanley’s to develop her and socialise her and to build strong bonds with peers and other adults.”

“We won’t give up.”

Parent campaigner Mark McNally said: “It leaves us pretty much back to square one. We won’t give up. We’re going to carry on fighting.”

Joanna echoed Mark’s sentiments: “We’re busy standing on the side lines working out what the next step is and we’re on the case right now to make sure we still fight for this and fight for justice for our children.”