Following strike action last June, nursery officers in the London borough of Ealing negotiated a fair pay and grading claim (News, 9 August 2001). But now the council is assessing its under-fives services and the four nursery centres, Disraeli, Hanbury, Hanwell and Windmill, where the nursery officers work, plus five nursery schools, are reported to be under consideration for closure. Responsibility for the nursery centres was moved from the social services department to education last year.
A nursery worker said, 'When the centres were transferred to education we were told this was to expand on what the council provided, and develop and im- prove the service. Is this what the council means by "best value"?' Brian Blake, Unison convenor for housing and social services, said, 'This has been brought about by a budget crisis in social services. It is due to being unable to hand 1m of the budget for nursery centres to education.
'It is ironic that at a time when Norman Tutt (Ealing's director of housing and social services) is receiving the OBE in the New Year's honours list for services to childcare services in Ealing, the staff and service users of the nursery centres and schools are facing an uncertain future. Once again it is the staff and service users who have to pay for the actions of senior management.'
An Ealing Council spokesman said, 'This is just one of the proposals to be discussed on how to provide services to children under five as part of a best-value review. I cannot confirm there will be nursery closures.'