Dismay as UHI nursery facing closure

UHI Perth nursery staff and parents have expressed disappointment over plans for its closure.

Bosses at Perth College have proposed closing the nursery and cutting up to 70 jobs to try and plug a £4 million black hole in its finances.

The nursery, which employs 12 people, is full, with 57 children on its register and a waiting list for places after summer.

The latest proposals come nearly a year after bosses threatened to cut the nursery – before later deciding to save it.

Katarzyna Bolesta, whose son Teo Wolynski is three years old, says she is “disappointed” with UHI’S handling of the situation.

The 39-year-old told the Tele: “I’m really disappointed that they didn’t do their homework from last year.

“Last year I was worried about being able to continue my studies, but this year I need to apply for a job – I don’t know what my availability will be now. This has a huge impact, not just for Perth College users but for the whole of the city.”

The UHI student also claims the college did not consult parents.

Manager Lianne Schemper says Scottish Government funding as part of its 1,140 hours of free child care scheme is not sufficient for nurseries such as hers to survive.

That coupled with rising staff costs and the need for the college to save money has led to what Leanne believes to be a purely financial position.

She says the recent proposal did not come as much of a surprise after a similar proposal from UHI bosses last year.

Lianne added: “The staff are devastated. Some have been here for over 10 years and we put everything into it.”

A spokesperson for UHI Perth said: “We are meeting with Perth and Kinross Council’s education and children’s services team to consider the options available if the final decision is to close the nursery.

“We will keep all parents and carers informed of any developments as the consultations progress.”