Hope for Wolverhampton nursery workers hit by cuts

Two thousand people have signed the petition to save Old Tree Nursery in Pendeford Hall Lane.

Yesterday, its future was discussed at the council's petitions committee, where it emerged the local authority is talking with Heantun Housing Accord Group about taking over the site.

The nursery employs nine people with learning disabilities, one with a physical disability, and two other staff in management and support roles.

In July, the council approved its closure, subject to consultation, as part of the savings it has to make due to government budget cuts.

During the meeting, nursery workers told the committee of the stress caused by the uncertainty over their future and livelihoods. Many of them have worked at the site since it opened 28 years ago.

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for adult services, apologised for the worry the process has caused but said the nursery cost £280,000 to run each year and at best made £15,000 per year.

"It is very difficult for the council to keep open a garden nursery which effectively makes a loss of £265,000 a year," he said.

"We have as a cabinet agreed to continue those discussions with Heantun with a view to keeping Old Tree Nursery open and as part of discussions we have asked the interested party to take on the remainder of the workforce to support the project.

"I made a personal commitment we would seek to find alternative roles for people before Old Tree Nursery closed, and we would take on suggestions from the consultation."

Job opportunities within other areas of the council are being explored, he added.

Shop steward Nick Kelleher, of Unison, said staff at the nursery represent five to 10 per cent of the council's disabled workforce.

"Throughout the consultation we have got vague promises of job trials but still none of these people have got any definite answer on what is happening to their future," he said.

Further discussions with Heantun will include its plans for the site and how many nursery staff it will be able to take on in a 'like for like' transfer.

Mr Kelleher said all of the staff needed to be taken on under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations, known as 'TUPE' or the union will take legal advice.

Committee member Councillor Judith Rowley said Councillor Evans was 'bending over backwards' to get the best possible outcome, but the council was in a quandary due to government budget cuts.

An update on the site's future is expected by the end of February.