The social enterprise nursery group has been granted a 15-year lease to operate three of the council’s settings based within its children’s centres – Nestles Avenue Early Years Centre in Hayes, South Ruislip Early Years Centre and Uxbridge Early Years Centre.
LEYF is due to take over the running of the nurseries, which together offer around 100 childcare places, in March.
Services currently ran from the centres have been relocated to other centres within the borough.
The move comes two years after Hillingdon Council planned to close the settings, but was persuaded by parents to continue to operate them on a reduced scale to minimise costs while they were prepared for sale.
LEYF, which will have sole occupancy of the centres, plans to expand the number of places on offer, with the aim of doubling the number of children on roll. However, it says it will increase capacity gradually over the coming months, subject to demand for places. This will also mean it will need to recruit additional staff.
The social enterprise nursery group currently runs 41 nurseries across 12 London boroughs.
Councillor Susan O’Brien, Hillingdon Council’s cabinet member for children, education and families, said, ‘As family circumstances have changed over the last couple of decades we know parents not only value, but require, the early years provision these centres provide. We’re delighted to be working with LEYF and benefit from its experience and expertise to support our children to live healthy, active and independent lives.’
June O’Sullivan, chief executive of LEYF, added, ‘We are thrilled to partner with Hillingdon Council to take on the management of these three early years centres.
‘This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible and inclusive childcare that makes a real difference in people’s lives.’
