A Leeds parent
Labour-run Leeds City Council has released its draft 2023-24 budget, due to be agreed on 14 December. It includes £126 million of cuts over the next three years.
As part of this, to save £3 million, the council is proposing to close five nurseries, with another four being merged. This is despite the fact that there is a dire shortage of childcare across the city.
The council has used the excuse of a decrease in demand due to Covid-19 and an increase in working from home. But the reality is that waiting lists are so long many parents are having to give up work.
The minimum waiting time for most nurseries in the city is six months and it can often take over a year to secure a place or increase hours.
For the first time in decades there’s been an increase in the number of women leaving the workforce to look after family, according to the Office for National Statistics.
As we saw in the ‘March of the Mummies’ demonstrations in October, the anger is growing (see ‘Thousands on ‘March of the Mummies’’ at socialistparty.org.uk)
Instead of cutting childcare provision, Leeds city council should be reducing the waiting times by increasing provision and staff.
Having local, affordable childcare is essential.
The Socialist Party fights for full public funding of a network of quality, flexible childcare that meets the needs of parents, children and childcare workers. This must be available from birth and include pre- and after-school and holiday care
