Petition Objecting to Nursery Closures Sent to Council

9.01.01am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 3rd Sep 2007

Norfolk County Council's consultation on the future of childcare provision in the Heartsease and Thorpe Hamlet areas has come to an end. The consultation comes in advance of a decision to close either a nursery in Thorpe Hamlet, or in Heartsease.

A petition of 226 of Thorpe Hamlet residents, objecting to the proposed closure of the 'Starting Out' nursery on Wolfe Road, has been collected and sent to the County Council by the Liberal Democrats to be considered as part of the consultation. Residents are also objecting to the consultation process itself.

Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, says:

"Like many, I don't feel that the Council has given enough consideration to retaining both nurseries. I am calling on the council to delay its decision over the future of these nurseries, and give each the chance to come up with their own business plans."

"I launched the petition because many parents and others in Thorpe Hamlet told me that they felt the same way. Its had a strong response from local people, and the County Council have confirmed that they will take this petition into account when considering the outcomes of this consultation exercise."

The text of Mr Wright's petition reads:

"I/we the undersigned feel that the Starting Out Nursery in Thorpe Hamlet should be retained for the benefit of local families. Furthermore, we have concerns about the current consultation exercise underway, and we believe that both nurseries should be given longer to develop their own business plans to enable them to be more financially viable."