A THURROCK councillor has reiterated her delight that Thurrock Council has given ' a stay of execution' to two threatened children's nurseries in Tilbury and has refuted a statement by portfolio holder Cllr Barry Johnson at last week's cabinet meeting that the council's plans have been reported inaccurately.

Last week Thurrock Nub News reported on a council announcement that, following a public consultation, it will be seeking new operators for the Little Pirates and Neptune Nurseries rather than closing them and that they will remain open until at least August.

That story featured the comments of Labour councillor Sara Muldowney, who is chair of the council's children's services overview and scrutiny committee.

At last week's cabinet meeting, Cllr Johnson accused her of misleading the public and being guilty of 'political opportunism' for speaking after her committee had been briefed at its most recent meeting.

He also took a sideswipe at Thurrock Nub News, reading out a section of our report and branding it inaccurate.

In particular he disputed that the council had ever planned or considered closing the nurseries in March. He said the date of potential closure had always been August 2022.

However, Cllr Muldowney stands by her statement as she says that it was clear from her initial briefings as Shadow Children's Services Portfolio Holder that any cuts made would be "whole year savings", meaning that savings would start at the beginning of the new financial year in April. This would have meant that the nurseries would have to close in March 2022, the end of this financial year.

Cllr Muldowney told Nub News: "This briefing came directly from the director of children's services, Sheila Murphy who has always emphasised that the budget is the most pressing area of concern for the service this year.

"This is due to the necessity of delivering considerable cost savings to breach the £34.4 million budget deficit at a time when there are unprecedented pressures on Children's Services due to the cost of placements. She was also very clear that if no alternative provider could be found that the nurseries would be closed."

It appears public response through the consultation has had an impact on those initial plans and March became 'in the summer term' which ends in July when the nurseries were discussed in October. Now the council is talking about August for closure.

At October's meeting, Michelle Lucas, the council's assistant director for education & skills told the scrutiny committee she was hopeful that nursery provision in Tilbury would continue along current lines, saying the service would go through a procurement stage to find a provider to manage each nursery.

She did not discount that if there were no providers to take over the nurseries, then the Council would look to close them in the summer term.

She said: "When we discussed it last time, we were looking at alternative providers to take over that provision."

She added that she was 'cautiously optimistic' about the future of the two nurseries after initial interest has been expressed by other providers of nursery services, adding: "What providers have said that, in that particular area they are more than happy and have the capability to increase places.

"So if, and I am saying 'if' at the moment I remain cautiously optimistic as providers in that area have said they are prepared to increase their capacity. That is hot off the press."

However, at the December meeting, Michele Lucas was unable to answer questions from the Chair and others on the Children's Services Committee about the providers who had expressed an interest in taking over the provision and both she and the Director of Children's Services said it was difficult to say what the interest would be until the procurement process was up and running.

Cllr Muldowney says: "Despite what Cllr Johnson asserts, there has been no inaccuracy. This has been a fluid situation and the council has responded as events have progressed."

"It is also absolutely clear that the driving force for change, and the option for the closure of these two popular nurseries is a financial one and that the council's cost-saving proposals begin on 1 April, meaning if the original plan had been followed, the nurseries would have closed in March.

"I repeat that I am pleased and delighted that this is now not going to happen, but one has to think that if the matter had not received publicity, nor myself and Cllr Lee Watson not challenged and asked questions, this might have slipped through under the radar.

"And the coverage of this in the media undoubtedly raised the profile of the consultation, which the council itself did very little to promote."

"It is clear from the briefing note on the nursery consultation that there is overwhelming support for keeping these two nurseries open."

"I am sure that many would agree that Cllr Johnson, as Portfolio Holder for Children's Services, would be better off spending his time making sure that that these 126 nursery places remain available for the next generation, and that over 30 staff are able to keep their jobs, instead of trying to deflect from the abysmal state of the council finances under his and his Conservative colleagues' watch that have prompted these cuts in the first place."

As well as criticism of Cllr Muldowney for 'political opportunism' and statement he described as 'inaccurate', Cllr Johnson also criticised the media, and by default, Nub News, saying: "I would have thought a little investigation by the local press would not go amiss."

That promoted council leader Cllr Rob Gledhill to add: "Fancy that, the local press being inaccurate!"

Thurrock Nub News editor Neil Speight said: "Cllrs Gledhill and Johnson are entitled to their opinion and, as ever we will report all that we can, regardless whether it is critical of Nub News or not – our duty is to be as fair, reasonable and responsible as we can and also, as Cllr Johnson says, investigate where possible.

"What Cllr Johnson did not mention is that Thurrock Council has informed Nub News it will not engage with us, nor answer our questions – in effect imposing a media blackout on the only Thurrock-based news media service. Clearly, some councillors and officers don't like having to respond to difficult questions.

"Which does make it rather difficult for me to report everything fully in the round or investigate when the council declines to answer questions about public concern."