Thorpe Hamlet Nursery Saved
November 7, 2008 7:20 PM
Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Committee is likely to agree on Monday to keep open two nurseries in Norwich which had been threatened with closure.
A recommendation last year to close one of either Thorpe Hamlet's 'Starting Out' nursery on Wolfe Road, or the 'Woodside One' nursery at Heartsease, were the subject of a public consultation which generated huge opposition to closing either. The consultation closed with a recommendation to review which nursery to close in 12 months time. That time has now passed, and the Council has now proposed to keep both open due to growing numbers of children attending both nurseries.
Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, was among those who campaigned to keep the Thorpe Hamlet Starting Out Nursery open last year.
"I'm delighted by this outcome," said Mr Wright. "It's fantastic news for families in the area."
"I argued last year that the Council had not given enough consideration to keeping both nurseries open, and I felt that both should be given the opportunity to develop a business plan to secure their sustainability."
"Parents and residents in the area responded by giving their full support to both of the threatened nurseries, and its brilliant that there are more and more children attending the nurseries. Both nurseries can now look forward to a successful future."
Mr Wright collected and submitted a petition of nearly 250 residents last year objecting to the proposal to close the Starting Out nursery on Wolfe Road.
The report to be considered by County Council Cabinet on Monday reads: "the nursery increased its capacity and was registered for 40 places in April 2008, taking up the former crèche space within the children's centre. Monthly monitoring of places has been carried out showing that occupancy has increased to 31 full time equivalent places, and now offers more baby places."
The full report to the Council's Cabinet is available here:
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