Nurseries will remain open

Tower Hamlets Council has announced that four nurseries in the borough will remain open following a public consultation on their future.​
​​It was announced at Cabinet last night (December 3) that the nurseries will be removed from the savings proposals that will be put to Full Council.
The council has been consulting with the public on savings proposals as it tries to make up for a £100million shortfall brought about by Government austerity measures.
One of the proposals was to close Queen Mary Day Nursery, Overland Day Nursery, Mary Sambrook Day Nursery and John Smith Day Nursery. Alternative provision would have been available at other nurseries in the borough.
Local parents enthusiastically supported the nurseries and at November’s Cabinet the Mayor asked council officers to look again at the proposed closures.
At yesterday’s Cabinet it was announced that the nurseries would remain open.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “I am pleased to announce that after giving careful consideration to the views of users, parents, nursery workers, trade unions and other members of the community, it is our intention to keep all four nurseries open.
“I would like to thank everybody who took part in our community consultation exercise and reaffirm my commitment as Mayor that I will work with the community to best protect our borough from the impact of government cuts.”
Cllr Gulam Robbani, cabinet member for education and children’s services, said: “We have to make decisions to meet the austerity cuts, we always knew this was a particularly difficult issue.
“As part of our consultation I have visited all four nurseries and listened carefully to the views of staff, parents and users. It is clear to me that these centres are playing a very important role in ensuring our children get the best support and protection they need and we need to retain them.”