'Heartless decision' - Labour councillor calls for overturn on Stanley's closure recommendation
Labour councillor Geraldine Kilgour has called on South Tyneside Council to overturn their recommendation to close Stanley's nurseries, citing concerns for families and staff who will be affected by the decision.
Labour councillor Geraldine Kilgour has called on South Tyneside Council to overturn their recommendation to close Stanley’s nurseries.
It was announced on Tuesday that the cabinet is set to consider proposals to shut all ten of the borough’s Stanley’s Daycare Nurseries at a meeting on Wednesday, September 23.
The report finds that the current service is not financially sustainable and needs significant funding.
The service currently needs an annual council subsidy of around £1.1million.
South Tyneside Council states that the proposals to close the nurseries follow a review of the service, a consultation with staff, consideration of the feedback received from service users and an assessment of childcare available across the borough.
The local authority has confirmed that it will continue to make sure there are enough good-quality childcare places for families in South Tyneside.
Labour Cllr Geraldine Kilgour, of Fellgate and Hedworth ward, condemned the news as “one of the worst decisions they could have ever made in the history of this borough”.
Cllr Geraldine Kilgour said: “I'm horrified to say the least, and I think it's a cruel and heartless decision.
“And I'm furious, and that is that is absolutely from the heart. I am absolutely incandescent that they think this is okay.”
She said her thoughts are with staff, parents and families who may have heard the news while children were at nursery.
“I don't care who retains them.”
The councillor said: “Is it, which would be a significantly cruel way of working, this is going to go to cabinet and reform are going to throw it out by way of a political stunt?
“Is that what we're looking at, or is this the real thing? Are they going to go along with a recommendation constituted by officers without the voice of parents and families, or are reform going to overturn it, to get all of the accolades that would come with that?
“But to be honest, as long as they are retained, I don't care who retains them.”
Cllr Kilgour’s late best friend Wendy Hogg managed some of the Stanley’s nurseries before she died.
After today’s news, she said it felt as if Wendy’s legacy, and the legacy of all the staff, was being “deleted.”
She said: “I want to call upon them [the council] to make the right decision for the families and overturn that recommendation and do it now before more harm is caused.
“Have an emergency cabinet meeting, and bring that decision forward because these families and the staff are in crisis now. It's disgusting.”