Leeds parents celebrate as sixth Little Owls nursery saved from takeover - but half still under review

Leeds City Council has confirmed that Hawksworth Wood Little Owls nursery will continue to be run by the local authority, following months of pressure from campaigners fighting to keep all council-run nurseries in public hands.

It comes after three sites were shut last year, and 12 more placed under review as part of a major cost-cutting drive to tackle a projected £273 million budget black hole over five years.

Since then, six of those 12 nurseries have now been guaranteed to stay with the council - Burley Park, City & Holbeck, Hunslet Rylestone, Osmondthorpe, Quarry Mount and now Hawksworth Wood.

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But parents said the fight is not over yet, with the remaining six settings - Bramley, Meanwood, Rothwell, Shepherds Lane, St Mary’s Hunslet and Parklands - still facing an uncertain future as the council explores handing them over to schools or private providers.

“We’re delighted that another nursery will remain with Leeds City Council,” said campaign group Save Little Owls Nurseries. “We firmly believe this is best for children and staff.

“We’re concerned that families and staff at six Little Owls settings across the city are still experiencing uncertainty about their nursery’s future.

“The uncertainty of private-sector run childcare provision has made itself very evident in Leeds so far this year, with nurseries being found unsafe and closing unexpectedly.

“Leeds City Council should be demanding the funding necessary from the government to continue the high quality provision at all Little Owls nursery settings.”

In an email that was sent to families this week and has been seen by the Yorkshire Evening Post, the council wrote that bosses had “decided not to continue with the transfer proposal” for Hawksworth Wood Primary School, explaining that the authority would continue to operate the six sites where no suitable alternative provider has been found.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “The full and rigorous review of our Little Owls nurseries was undertaken to address the service’s ongoing deficit amid the council’s increasingly challenging financial position while ensuring sufficient early years places across the city.

“Following more recent discussions regarding the three sites co-located with schools, we can confirm that we now propose to continue operating both Parklands and Hawksworth Wood Little Owls. Discussions will continue with St Mary's CE Primary regarding their interest in Hunslet St Mary's Little Owls nursery.

“The evaluation of the applications received from alternative providers for Bramley, Meanwood, Rothwell and Shepherd’s Lane Little Owls will be announced in due course. We want to reassure families and staff that in the event these discussions do not reach a satisfactory conclusion, the council’s default position is to retain direct delivery of these settings.

“We would like to once again thank parents, carers and staff for their support and patience through this process and reaffirm our commitment that all ongoing provision continues to be child-centred and ensures the most vulnerable children in the city are well catered for.”