A senior councillor who went to a Brighton nursery as a child has welcomed a proposal that could save the it from closure.
Councillor Jacob Taylor, who grew up in Brighton, said that he was delighted that Bright Start could continue to provide care for children.
The nursery is currently based in the old Slipper Baths building by the Prince Regent swimming pool.
Brighton and Hove City Council had planned to close the nursery last year as part of a programme of budget savings.
Councillors were told that the building was unsuitable as a nursery in part because it needed considerable work.
But after feedback from parents and carers who use the nursery, plus other residents, it was given a one-year reprieve.
Councillors are due to discuss five options for the future of Bright Start at a meeting of the council’s Children, Families and Schools committee on Monday 6 November.
Councillor Taylor, who is now joint chair of the committee, said that he was overjoyed that the nursery, located in one of the most disadvantaged areas of Brighton and Hove, could now be saved through one of the options.
The preferred option is to provide a permanent, smaller nursery just a few hundred yards away.
The council said that the proposed site was at the council’s Tarner Family Hub, in Ivory Place, and would continue to meet the needs of most of the families who currently use Bright Start.
Councillor Taylor said: “I’ve always had a great affection for Bright Start, not only because I attended the nursery as a child, but also because it delivers fantastic and much-needed childcare to our diverse community.
“Bright Start is a setting of sanctuary and provides especially outstanding care for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
“When I became chair of the committee, I asked council officers for options to save Bright Start nursery for the long term without excessive extra costs for the council.
“We are committed to providing high-quality council-run nurseries in the city to ensure that every child can have the best start in life and to play our role in supporting parents with the ‘cost of living crisis’.
“If the preferred option is agreed, moving to the Tarner Family Hub is a perfect solution and gives families the stability they need to plan their childcare for the future.”
Well done to Jacob Taylor,staff, parents and children who are fighting to keep the vital service at Bright Start Nursery going. It seems crazy to close a service that is so important and does so much good for the community and provides good quality care for the children. Bright Start Nursery has been in operation since 1989 and has always provided good quality care and education surely that reputation alone speaks for itself. I worked at Bright Start for 16 years and my thoughts and heart are with you all.
Daphne, are you the original manager?
Yes I was manager from 1989 to 2004