Council saves charity-run nurseries
Katy Morton
Friday, December 13, 2019
Six of the eight nurseries operated by the Great Yarmouth Community Trust, which went into liquidation last month, have been saved by Norfolk County Council.
The county council has set-up a new company called NCC Nurseries Limited to run the six nurseries, all of which are based within the local authority area. Staff previously employed by the Trust have also been offered their jobs back.
Yesterday (Thursday 12 December), Norfolk county council re-opened the nurseries under its new ownership after they shut last month.
The other two nurseries operated by the Trust and based in Suffolk will remain closed however. Suffolk County Council said it has been working with the community and parents to minimise the impact of the closure of the nurseries.
Sarah Jones, Norfolk County Council’s director of commissioning, partnerships and resources for Children’s Services, said, ‘We are really pleased to have played our part in bringing this nursery provision back for the Great Yarmouth community. We know it is a valued and key part of the community for children and parents.’
A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said, 'We have been contacted by a number of families and have helped them to find alternate childcare where spaces are available. We are unaware of any families who have been unable to find alternate childcare. The council is covering the funding to the new provider, that had already been paid to the Great Yarmouth Community Trust and will now we assume be lost, so that the new provider can support the additional children.'
'Officers in the early years team are also working with local childcare providers to promote any staff vacancies they may have with any staff seeking employment from these closures.'
