Change language
Actions
Displays
Remove from selection
Add to selection
Abstract

Parents staged a demonstration outside a Holloway nursery yesterday (Thursday) over fears that funding cuts will bring job losses.

The Town Hall is consulting on plans for a staffing restructure at Westbourne Early Years Centre, in Bride Street, which would see the number of posts reduced from 17 to 11.

The council says the new roles include more full-time positions and the possibility of job-sharing, but union representatives estimate up to four part-time workers could lose their jobs in the reshuffle.

Until April this year the nursery was under the control of St Mary Magdalene Academy, but it was taken back in-house by Islington Council after the school decided it no longer wished to run the service.

A phased, four-year programme of cuts worth £96,853 was agreed between the council and the academy in 2014 to bring the centre’s “historic funding model” in line with other nurseries in the borough.

But parents say the proposals for the staffing restructure unfairly target the nursery’s “amazing” part-time staff.

Isabelle Chatel de Brancion said: “The staff are being laid off for reasons we don’t understand. The part-time staff should be supported. We’re not happy how the process is taking place.”

Another parent, Ana Wilks, added: “We have really good people who work here, and they are going through a stressful period. We’re worried about the impact on our children.”

George Sharkey, Islington GMB union branch secretary, said: “These cuts aren’t necessary and will impact directly on the children.”

Town Hall chief of children and families Joe Caluori said: “The ratio of staff to children will be the same as other Early Years settings we operate.

“No final decisions have been made but all staff will be offered the chance to apply for roles at Westbourne, and can apply for vacancies at our other centres if they wish.”