Local Labour Councillors have expressed their disappointment after a call-in to save B&NES’ last two local authority-run nurseries was dismissed by a panel on Monday.

Labour councillors had led the call for the decision to be reviewed, but a meeting of the Children and Young People Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel upheld the decision, which was originally made by the Cabinet member for Children and Young People, Cllr Paul May (Conservative, Publow and Whitchurch). His decision will now be implemented and the nurseries based at St Nicholas Primary School, Radstock and St Martin’s Garden School, Bath, will close.

B&NES Labour Group spokesperson for Children and Young People, Cllr Liz Hardman (Labour, Paulton) said: “I am very disappointed with this decision. These two nurseries serve two of the most deprived areas of B&NES – Radstock and Foxhill. Both areas show persistent relative deprivation which are extreme when seen against the wealth of much of B&NES. We have been told that the nurseries are running at a loss, and that they are below numbers: well that is hardly a surprise. As soon as parents heard that they may close, they started the process of seeking alternative places for the children.

“However, the problem is that there are not enough other places. In Radstock, particularly, for every 100 nursery places needed, there are only 73 available. The alternative childcare is often in the wrong location, open for fewer hours and limited to older children.

“I do not believe that the decision has taken sufficient account of the impact on families and children in crisis, families with challenging children and families with children with disabilities. As a Council, we should be willing and able to provide services to children and families in need. Instead, it appears that when it comes to services to children and young people, B&NES Council is only interested in providing the bare minimum.”

Councillor Paul May told The Journal: “The decision on whether the Council should step back from directly running nursery provision in a local area is never one that is taken lightly.

“However, I have a duty to ensure our services both meet our statutory duties and operate effectively within the available budget. I therefore welcome the panel’s decision to dismiss the call-in.

“When it comes to nursery provision, the Council has a duty to ensure there are sufficient childcare places available for working parents – but the Council is not expected to be the direct provider of childcare and is not the best provider to run such services efficiently.

“These two nurseries have been running at a loss for a number of years, and with a robust and growing independent sector in the local childcare market, it was felt that the time is right for the Council to step back from directly running these nurseries.”

Opposition parties were quoting the closures to cost an estimated £105,000 in redundancy payments to staff who do not transfer to other jobs within the Council.

The Council will continue to run the nurseries until July this year.