Richard Burden MP: Fighting for a fair deal for everyone in Birmingham Northfield

26 July 2010

Community nurseries in Birmingham under threat -

Community nurseries look like being early targets for cuts by Birmingham City Council. A consultation document put out this month by the Council says they want to slash £1.4m from the nurseries budget this year with a cut of £2.5m more next year.

Let’s be clear, there is nothing wrong with the City reviewing whether it has the right mix of Early Years provision for children. There have been big changes in recent years - including valuable Labour initiatives like Sure Start and Children’s Centres. So it’s right to take stock.

But this review seems to be driven more by an instruction to save money rather than a desire to get the service right for children and families. Four nurseries are down to be chopped because their buildings are deemed to be ‘increasingly unsuitable’. Five more are proposed to become ‘self-sustaining’ centres for day care. In other words, the City will cut their money and they will have to extend their charges onto parents.

Two of these, Mowbray in Frankley and Merrishaw in West Heath, are in my constituency. They are in the firing line despite the admission of the Council’s own review document that in the south of the City referrals for grant-funded childcare are highest and capacity lowest – particularly for children with disabilities.

The threat to Merrishaw will be a particularly bitter blow to staff and parents. During a packed public meeting in West Heath during the General Election campaign, the Conservatives had assured parents that they had nothing to worry about.

Birmingham’s performance on child protection has again been slated by OFSTED. Good quality support for families with young children and early intervention are both crucial to prevent deterioration in vulnerable families and to safeguard children. Birmingham is just not good enough at these things. And there is a danger that its cuts in community nurseries could make matters worse.

You can get a copy of Birmingham’s consultation document from the City Council by e-mailing Richard King: richard_king@birmingham.gov.uk.

Responses need to be sent to the same address by 31st August. So if you share my concerns, please write to the City Council directly and also let me know at burdenr@parliament.uk.