Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report of Councillor Bayliss regarding children’s nursery provision in Bexhill.  In July 2019, the Council responded to East Sussex County Council’s (ESCC) consultation on Children’s Services Early Help Draft Strategy 2020-2023 and objected to the proposals to:

a.    withdraw the subsidy and to no longer provide the Cygnets (Egerton Park) and Rainbow (Sidley) nurseries in Bexhill;

b.    encourage expressions of interest from other nursery providers to operate in these children’s centres (privatise); and

c.     relocate children’s services currently delivered from the Children’s Centre in Egerton Park, Bexhill to Sidley Children’s and Youth Centre.

The Council objected on the basis that the services supported the Council’s core aim to provide ‘Stronger, Safer Communities’; and the broad outline ‘addressing deprivation and welfare needs’, and in particular, that the proposal to withdraw subsidised nursery places, placed a barrier to work for families in one of the most deprived wards in East Sussex.

Following the Early Help Review, ESCC had now decided to close the two nurseries from 31 December 2020 with the potential loss of 18 jobs which had been confirmed in the last few days.  It was confirmed that ESCC’s role was to ensure that there was capacity for the service, but not to directly provide the service.   

Cabinet was concerned at the impact of the decision, in particular that 164 children would have to find alternative nursery provision in Bexhill, uncertainty over the continuing status of some of the existing nurseries and whether there were sufficient spaces available with other providers, the impact of the closures of the local job market in Bexhill and the implications for employers. 

Given that time was of the essence and a solution to the issue was moving at a pace, it was agreed not to refer the matter to the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It would be more expedient for a report back direct to Cabinet in August with options for the future delivery of the nursery services, perhaps through the formation of a Community Interest Company (CIC).  

RESOLVED: That:

1)   the current position with regard to East Sussex County Council’s provision of children’s nursery services in Bexhill be noted; and

2)   a report be presented to Cabinet at the August meeting exploring possible options for the future delivery of the nursery services operating from the buildings in Egerton Park and Sidley, both of which were owned by the Council.

(The Leader had accepted this item onto the Agenda as an Additional Agenda Item in order for Cabinet to consider this matter due to the impending closure of the nursery provision).

(Councillor Bayliss declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as she had been an active campaigner to save affordable childcare provision in Bexhill and one of the nurseries was in her Ward and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).

(Councillor Brewerton declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as she had been an active campaigner to save affordable childcare provision in Bexhill and in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).

(Councillor Coleman declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as he had been an active campaigner to support nursery provision in Bexhill and one of the nurseries was in his Ward and in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).

(Councillor Courtel declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as he had been an active campaigner to support nursery provision in Bexhill and in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).

(Councillors J. Barnes, Mrs D.C. Earl-Williams and Field each declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as they were elected Members of East Sussex County Council and in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).

(Councillor Maynard declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as he was an Executive Member of East Sussex County Council and in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).