Council-run nurseries to be made private

West Sussex County Council is looking for new providers to run four nurseries, including Jellyfish Nursery in Shoreham and Fishersgate Nursery.

A council spokesman explained it was unusual for local authorities to run nurseries.

“Over 90 per cent of nurseries are run successfully by private companies in West Sussex and we already have one staff mutual, so we are happy this will have limited impact on parents and children,” she added.

“Whatever the outcome there will be nursery provision in these areas, we have a duty to ensure this.”

The council is assuring parents there will be a smooth transfer as new providers are sought to take over the nurseries.

Jellyfish Nursery is based at the Kingston Buci Children and Family Centre in Middle Road, Shoreham, and Fishersgate Nursery is in Gardner Road, Fishersgate.

Lancing Nursery is also affected.

It is hoped providers wishing to bid to run these three will come forward by early next year, with transfers taking place in the autumn.

The fourth nursery, in Crawley, is expected to be taken over by current workers under a staff mutual arrangement.

The council said staff would have their employment transferred to the new provider and the nurseries would continue to be regularly inspected by Ofsted.