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The health board refused to turn up to a public meeting to explain their reasons for causing the closure of the Little Teddies nursery in Stornoway.

 

The Unison union called the meeting to debate the controversial closure of the Little Teddies facility which will cost 21 jobs and leave nearly 100 infants without childcare. Over 120 people attended the forum tonight (Thurs).

 

The health board had agreed to split half the £155,000 deficit with Western Isles Council.  But the council-managed nursery has gone over the limit by £30,000 - a figure Labour candidate DJ Macsween said was paltry in the circumstances.

 

An empty chair was reserved for health board bosses who “pulled the plug throwing everybody in disarray ” but refused to face parents.

 

Unison official Tom Joyce told the 120-strong audience he was “angry” at their absence which was “unacceptable of a public body in this community.”

 

He said the health body had a moral obligation to see the arrangement through for another year - it is due to finish in 2011 - to allow a breathing space for negotiations or to put alternatives in place

 

SNP candidate Angus Macneil said he would raise the issue with the Scottish health secretary.

 

Parent Alastair Glover said there was a rumour going around that that Western Isles NHS want to shut Little Teddies and convert the premises into a staff flat.

 

Health board member Malcolm Smith was in the audience but was not representing the NHS. He denied the staff accommodation suggestion. Mr Smith said, unless there was progress, he would raise the matter formally at the forthcoming health board meeting.

 

He stressed: “I recognise the urgency and absolutely regret the anxiety caused to parents.”

 

Parents are worried that a proposed alternative but scaled-down nursery would not take all of the infants.

 

Parent Karen Mackenzie said: “Where are they going to provide pre-school education for the children if they are intending to cut the amount of places at the nursery when all the nurseries are already full to capacity and have waiting lists?

 

“It is government law for the children to be proved with pre-school education."

 

The council has a legal duty to provide 15 hours of weekly early years childcare and says this would take priority in any alternative nursery.

 

Mum Rona Graham said: “If our children have to leave their friends it’s going to stop their social development. We’ve got to do everything to stop this happening.”

 

She added: “We are hitting our heads against a brick wall. Do we have to camp outside their offices to make the health board speak to us?”

 

Council boss Bernard Chisholm highlighted the huge challenge to find an extra £100,000 and 100 new care spaces at such short notice.

 

Unison official Stephan Smid said the “bickering” health board was “painting the council as the villain.”

 

Council leader Angus Campbell agreed with Unison and backed their stance.

 

He referred to the £30,000 overspend - which is halved between the council and the health board - on top of the agreed deficit £155,000 saying: “So they are putting 100 kids out of childcare for £15,000.”

 

He said health bosses met with the local authority “only a few days before and they gave no indication they were going down this path.”

 

 

 

Health board refuses to attend nursery meeting               22/4/10

No show for the health board