Nursery campaigners have their cake – and eat it

CAMPAIGNERS FROM Save Our Nurseries tried to find a crumb of comfort in their campaign this weekend – by taking a giant cake to an event where John Biggs, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, was due to speak.

The campaigners are channelling the community opposition to the news that Executive Mayor John Biggs was to close the three remaining Council-run day care nurseries in Tower Hamlets. He had previously proposed to sell them off to other providers – and over 80% of respondents opposed this. Now the sell-off proposals appear to have been dropped in favour of outright closure.

Former Speaker of the Council, Cllr Sabina Akhtar, cuts up the Save Our Nurseries cake to share with fellow councillors.

As one of the campaigners explained, “Mothers are now in meltdown, wondering when their nursery will close and what they are going to do. Mums don’t know if they will be able to keep their jobs – or, if they have to get a place in a different nursery, how to explain to their kids that they will be going on to new place, without their friends and without the carers they have come to know. It’s heartbreaking seeing the distress this proposal has already caused.”

Campaigners have been accused of focussing unfairly on the Executive Mayor and personalising the campaign to save the nurseries. “Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the decision,” explained a spokesperson from Save Our Nurseries. “John Biggs knew when he stood for Executive Mayor that the Council had delegated almost all power to whoever held this post.

“He stood to be Executive Mayor, not just a ceremonial mayor. All the power to close or reprieve the nurseries is in his hands – so it’s not surprising that the opposition is focussing on him, as mums and supporters ask him to change his mind.

“Quite a few Labour Councillors came forward to enjoy a piece of our cake – so we are very pleased to see that they seem to share our concerns.”

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