Nursery could be closed over £185k deficit

The only council-run nursery in Stoke-on-Trent could be shut down after it ran up a deficit close to £200,000.

Bentilee Nursery School faces closure having been run at a financial loss for four years, with the deficit reaching £185,710 in 2024/25, according to a Stoke-on-Trent City Council report.

The authority has proposed to stop maintaining the nursery to reduce costs and offer additional places at local primary schools instead.

No final decision has been made, the council has said, and the proposal is set to be discussed by cabinet members when they meet on Tuesday.

A total of 53 childrenm aged between two and four, currently attend Bentilee school, the report said.

The council estimated that the nursery school's deficit would increase to £340,136 by 2027/28, despite a recovery plan being in place for the past three years.

Should it close, additional places would be offered at Eaton Park Academy and Maple Court Academy, which are both run by Alpha Academies Trust, the report said.

The Bentilee nursery site could then be used by an academy trust or independent provider to offer places for children with specialist educational needs or disabilities.

The council's cabinet is expected to agree to begin a formal consultation on the proposal when it meets on Tuesday, with a final decision due to be made in July.

Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children's services, said the authority was "committed" to protecting the future of "high-quality early years provision" in Bentilee.

"Every child deserves the best start in life, and these proposals will ensure early services will continue to be delivered in the community," she added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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