Council to consult on one o'clock club closures (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Wandsworth Council to consult on one o'clock club closures

5:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in News By Alexandra Rucki

Wandsworth Council have voted to close one o'clock clubs across the borough to make way for nursery places.

New policy makes it obligatory for local authorities to provide disadvantaged two-year-olds with 15 hours of free childcare.

Councillors at the Education and Children's Services committee meeting last week voted to consult on proposals to change centre's into nurseries.

Bolingbroke, Windmill, Coronation Gardens, Fontley Way and King George's Park clubs would no longer have to provide stay-and-play services.

Battersea Park one o'clock centre could be converted to a cafe attached to the adventure playground with additional services, such as drama classes and children's entertainment.

The Triangle one o'clock centre could merge with Balham Nursery School.

Nursery providers who take over the centres may still run one o'clock clubs, but will not be obliged to run such a service.

The decision went ahead despite a petition containing more than 1,000 signatures being handed to the council.

Alex Sykes, community manager of Made For Mums Wandsworth, said: "I think everyone is just really sad about it. They are such an institution.

"It is something they rely on, there's a lot general sadness. It is up to the nursery providers who take over the one o'clock clubs to provide the service."

During the meeting it was agreed to extend the consultation until August, with the nurseries not opening until September.

The council will have to provide 894 places for disadvantaged toddlers by September this year, as well as a further 894 by September 2014.

A final decision will be made at the next full council meeting on March 6.