North East Lincolnshire councillor apologises over nursery consultation

Reynolds Day Care in Cleethorpes was one of three nurseries set to close under council plans

A councillor has apologised after a report found a consultation into plans to close three North East Lincolnshire nurseries was "poorly communicated".

The council halted the proposed closure of Great Coates Village Nursery, Scartho Nursery School and Reynolds Day Care following protests last year.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, who approved the consultation, admitted it was "flawed".

Two other councillors have demanded an apology from the council leader.

North East Lincolnshire Council said it fully accepted Wilkin Chapman LLP's findings that the consultation, scrapped on 14 July a month after opening, was "unclear and confusing".

It is due to be discussed later at a meeting of the authority's children and lifelong learning scrutiny panel.

Ms Cracknell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I have read the Wilkin Chapman report and concur that inadequate communication was a significant part in what turned out to be a flawed consultation process.

"I fully acknowledge in hindsight that I made a decision to allow a process to begin which resulted in uncertainty in the settings. I apologise to the three settings, to the nursery staff, governors and to parents."

She said clear lessons had to be learned regarding communication between officers, cabinet members and ward councillors so such situations did not happen again.

Ms Cracknell previously said it was the "strength and breadth of feedback" which led to the consultation being halted.

The council leader and councillors only became aware of the consultation after concerned members of the public contacted them

However, independent councillor Lyndsey Downes said: "If she'd asked questions, this consultation may never have started.

"She didn't actually understand what she was saying yes to. It's unforgiveable, really."

Ms Downes added 42 nursery staff had been at risk of redundancy.

Steve Holland, another independent councillor, said it was "difficult" for Ms Cracknell's position to "remain tenable".

"There are still more questions to be answered," he said.

"At the very least, the council leader needs to give a full public apology and if he doesn't give that apology, then his position is questionable."

Council leader Philip Jackson said he believed the report "vindicates my decision, as leader of the council, to halt what was clearly a flawed public consultation".

"I subsequently requested the chief executive to commission the report to determine how this unnecessary and damaging situation arose, and how we can ensure it is never repeated.

"It is clear from the report that council officers failed to adequately communicate with both the cabinet and ward councillors regarding the challenges associated with the three nursery settings and their proposed course of action, exacerbated by some identified governance weaknesses.

"These issues must and will be resolved," he said.

Mr Holland said all three nurseries lacked the £1.5m combined total needed for repair costs, which had been requested since June.

It was difficult to be certain of the nurseries' futures without this, he added.

North East Lincolnshire Council reiterated it was "committed" to learn from the findings and recommendations made in the report, and had been "continuing to work pro-actively" with the three nurseries on their business plans and "sufficiency activity".