Parents begin desperate fight over threatened closure of council-run nursery in Brighton

  • Report by ITV Meridian's Andy Dickenson

The Bright Start Nursery in Brighton, which caters for children aged from 3 months to 5 years, is facing closure over budget cuts.

Parents, staff and campaigners say the centre provides a vital service to families in the community.

They are urging Brighton and Hove Council to keep the nursery open.

A recent Ofsted report highlighted that the staff team is extremely well qualified, very experienced and very dedicated to the children in their care.

  • Parents react to the possible closure of the nursery.

Brighton and Hove Council said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we are having to consider the possibility of closing the Bright Start nursery.   

“We have a budget overspend of £11 million this year and an expected shortfall of £19 million next year.  

“This means we have no alternative but to reduce some of the 700 services we provide in order to protect the most vital ones.  

Parents protest outside council offices Credit: ITV News Meridian

“The building that houses Bright Start is not in good condition and would need a lot of money spending on it, at a time of spiralling cost increases in the construction industry." 

Parents recently held a protest outside the offices of Brighton and Hove Council over the possible closure of Bright Start nursery.

A decision on the centre's future has yet to be made.

Councillors will meet in February to set the annual budget when cuts to services could be revealed.