News / Childcare changes
SHETLAND Islands Council is to redesign all its Lerwick pre school and out of hours child care services to save £180,000 a year.
The move will see the loss of four full time equivalent jobs, fees increase, and the closure of Blyde Haven nursery at Gressy Loan.
Pre-school and extended hours care will move from Isleburgh Community Centre and Blyde Haven to the Old Infant School on King Harald Street, which will receive a £55,000 upgrade.
A further £9,000 will be spent on providing dedicated toilets at Islesburgh Community Centre where all after school care, breakfast club and holiday provision will be based.
Shetland Islands Council’s education and families committee backed the move despite concerns that it could have a negative impact on private sector providers.
However Jennifer Anderson, of Anderson Solutions, who carried out a review of the service, said that raising fees would bring private and public provision more in line with each other.
An attempt by councillor Gary Cleaver to commit the council to pulling out of childcare provision altogether did not receive a seconder.
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