A report to consider a consultation on the closure of Sunnyside Nursery, a small nursery attached to Sun Street Children’s Centre.

The Committee received a report to consult on the closure of Sunnyside Nursery, a small nursery attached to Sun Street Children’s Centre which was currently empty.

The report explained that Sunnyside at Sun Street Children's Centre was a Brighter Futures for Children operated nursery that had been established since 2021 to accommodate up to eight two year old children.  Funding was soley through Government funding for two year old children and the nursery only received funding if children were on roll.  It was noted that from September 2024 there were no children currently attending.

The report explained that the Reading Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2023-2024 concluded that there were currently sufficient childcare places for all under-fives where there was a demand and this included funded early education and paid spaces. The Sufficiency Assessment examined likely future patterns of demand accounting for changing birth rates and any planned new housing developments. 

The Assessment identified that there were sufficient places in the East area of Reading. From March 2023, East Reading had seen a net increase of 305 places. There had been 429 new places created through expansion and opening of new Private, Voluntary and Independent sector places; with some reductions of provision, totalling 124 places, through the closure of Private, Voluntary and Independent sector places. Further provision was opening in 2025, which would increase the total places locally. Therefore the loss of the 8 places from Sunnyside Nursery was not expected to impact on sufficiency of local childcare places for families.

The consultation would last for the statutory prescribed 30 days, allowing a final decision to be made within two weeks from the end of the consultation.

Resolved –

(1)           That the consultation on formal closure of Sunnyside Nursery be agreed.

(2)           That the Director of Children’s Services be delegated to consult on the closure of Sunnyside Nursery.

(3)           That the Director of Children’s Services in Consultation with the Lead Councillor for Children’s Services be delegated to decide on the future of the nursery based on the outcomes of the consultation.