A proposal to move a Dundee nursery has been postponed in the wake of protests by parents.
Councillors were to have been asked on Monday night to approve in principle moving the Law Nursery to unused space at Rosebank Primary potentially saving almost £50,000 per year.
However, the item was withdrawn from the education committee agenda at short notice.
A petition circulating among parents and residents attracted hundreds of signatures in only a few days and some of the parents had been planning to address the committee.
The delay means the move cannot go ahead in time for the start of the 2011/12 term in August as originally intended. No indication of a possible revised timescale has yet been announced by the council.
No debate on the matter took place in the council chamber, with education convener Liz Fordyce resisting calls by opposition councillors to explain what had happened.
She did, however, put out a statement through the council press office in which she said, “I asked that this report was withdrawn to allow more time so that we can consult informally with parents and carers of children attending Law Nursery.
“This will be an extra consultation exercise that will help to inform any report that goes back to committee recommending formal consultation on a relocation proposal.
“I am aware of concern that has been expressed over the planned move which would have been considered by the committee, and I want to make sure that the council takes these views into consideration as early as possible.
“Educational benefits of any relocation will form part of our informal consultation with parents and carers. We want to continue developing opportunities for our children and any relocation option could build a strong school community by bringing the nursery and primary together on the same site.
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“The education department will conduct an open discussion on all these matters.”
Labour education spokesman Laurie Bidwell said the withdrawal was a “humiliating climbdown” by the council’s SNP administration.
“Through her action, convener Fordyce is denying the democratic opportunity of these parents to address the committee directly about their concerns about her flawed proposal to downgrade and move their nursery school,” he said.
“Any prolonged delay will lead to uncertainty. Whether the Law Nursery school will be on its current site in Lawside Road or downgraded to a nursery class and relocated over a mile away at Rosebank Primary in August is of real importance to parents and ultimately the pre-school education of their children.
“But the education convener should be clear the weight of public opinion I have encountered in support of Law Nursery school as it stands has been considerable.”
Jodi Henry, who organised the petition, said, “We are doing as much as we can to show how we feel. It is a great nursery and is one of the best in the city, especially for early-years development.
“Law Nursery is a really safe environment and they have all that space to run around in. It would be such a shame to see that go.”
The decision to withdraw the proposal was also slammed by Liberal Democrat group leader Fraser Macpherson, who accused the SNP administration of “high-handed arrogance.”
Mr Macpherson called on education convener Liz Fordyce to give parents a categorical assurance that the closure plan has been dropped permanently.
“What we saw tonight was the SNP administration at its worst,” he said. “Some members of the public were denied access to the meeting and the education convener failed to give any reassurance to members of the education committee over Law Nursery.
“I ask Mrs Fordyce to give a clear and categorical assurance that the SNP has permanently dropped its plans to close the Law Nursery facility and move provision to Rosebank Primary School.”