Council urged to save SEND nurseries after vote

Leicestershire County Council has been urged to rethink plans to close four specialist nurseries for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) after a key vote by councillors.

The Reform UK-led authority proposes to give extra funding to mainstream nurseries instead of commissioning specialist nursery places for children with complex needs.

However a motion was passed following a vote at a council meeting on Wednesday, calling for the nurseries to remain open.

Councillors were told hundreds of people had shared their views during the consultation and more than 2,000 people had signed a petition against the closures.

Deputy council leader Kevin Crook told the meeting Reform councillors had "no choice but to abstain with the consultation still open until Sunday.

If the plans are approved the council would no longer commission SEND places at Sketchley Hill Menphys Nursery School in Hinckley, Wigston Menphys Nursery School in Wigston, Oasis Retreat in Melton Mowbray, and Lift Beacon in Loughborough.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Mark Bools, who proposed the motion, said closing the nurseries would deny SEND children "the best start in life".

"The children who attend these nurseries require a much higher level of interaction and care and of support," he said.

"This isn't about inclusion. It isn't about improving the outcomes of these children, it's a cost saving in stealth.

"These nurseries are more than an education setting. They are a family and a community."

Bools added: "We are not saying savings do not need to be made. We know they do but this is not the best way to save money.

"All we are doing is pushing cost further down the line because these children will eventually end up in a mainstream setting where there isn't the staff, expertise, the equipment, and the space to provide what these children need."

The Liberal Democrat motion was supported by Tory, Labour and Green councillors and passed by 29 votes to zero.

Reform UK councillors abstained in the vote.

The passing of the motion does not compel the council to drop the plans but Crook said the party had noted the strength of feeling over them.

"I recognise the deep concern many parents carers and professionals have expressed about the proposed changes," he said.

"We share the priority of ensuring every child with SEND throughout Leicestershire receives the high quality early years support they need to thrive.

"No one wants to see any child or family left without appropriate provision.

"Crucially, the consultation remains open. Hundreds of responses have already been received and more are coming in from families, providers and partners.

"It would be premature and disrespectful to those participating for the administration to pre-empt a full picture by endorsing or rejecting any specific outcome at this stage.

"What we can do, and we will do is listen carefully to all views expressed [in the debate] and take them forward for serious consideration alongside the consultation evidence."

Under the proposed changes, these places would no longer be commissioned, and instead there would be extra funding for mainstream nurseries.

This includes a new funding band of £10 per hour for children with complex needs, in addition to government-funded free hours entitlement for nursery provision.

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