Council nurseries to be turned over to private sector

The council's 'new strategic direction' aims to save 30 per cent of its budget.

Councillor Jeremy Pembroke, leader of Suffolk County Council, said, 'This decision was made with consideration to the financial deficit in the public sector and the coalition Government's priority to reduce the deficit and the size of the state.

'The coalition requires lesser government and a bigger society, and Suffolk County Council has responded to this change.'

The process is to be carried out in three phases from April 2011, with early years and childcare and children's centres among the first services to be outsourced.

Some of these could be identified as 'early adopters' and be moved from council control as early as this autumn. Other phase one services include youth clubs, libraries and Home First.

But Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said that while the voluntary sector could provide cost-efficient services, it should not be seen as 'a cheap option'.

'As local authorities face some of the most challenging economic situations of recent times it will be essential that they prioritise services that enable their local families and communities to flourish. Children's centres do just that, so need to be part of any local plan to reshape local service,' said Ms Longfield.

Sixty-one creche workers were made redundant in August after Suffolk Council decided that it would no longer provide the creche service for adult learners.

A spokesperson from the council said, 'We were providing a creche service that was discretionary for adult learners, but funding cuts have meant that we had to protect our core business and we have had to close the creche.'