Full City of Edinburgh Council Meeting - Questions and Answers about Crèches

Today there is a full meeting of City of Edinburgh Council. These are the details of questions and answers put to the Council about the Edinburgh Leisure Crèches.

If there are any further updates from this meeting, we'll be sure to let you know!

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Councillor Gordon Buchan
Scottish Conservative Councillor for Fountainbridge / Craiglockhart Ward

QUESTION NO 3
By Councillor Buchan to be answered by the Convener of the Culture and Leisure Committee at a meeting of the Council on 28 January 2010

Question (1)
Please advise in detail on the discussions held between the City Council, Edinburgh Leisure, Save our Crèches and third parties on examining ways to provide suitable crèche facilities at Ainslie Park, Gracemount, Portobello and Drumbrae sports centres.

Answer (1)
Edinburgh Leisure wrote to 97 nursery providers to alert them to the potential opportunity to operate a crèche service from within the above four Edinburgh Leisure facilities. In addition to this, an advert was placed in the Scotsman inviting expressions of interest.

Edinburgh Leisure has received 10 responses to these invitations and eight providers have requested further information and a meeting with Edinburgh Leisure.

To date, six meetings have been held with those who had expressed an interest. No formal interest has been noted in providing alternative crèche provision as of yet. Further meetings with potential providers are anticipated. Edinburgh Leisure has kept Council officers and the Convener of Culture and Leisure up to date with progress.

A meeting also took place with representatives of the crèche users [Save our Crèches] on Tuesday 19 January 2010 at which Edinburgh Leisure provided an update on progress in securing alternative service providers.

Question (2)
Please advise on the likelihood of crèche facilities remaining in operation for the next two financial years.

Answer (2)
Edinburgh Leisure has advised that there is no likelihood of crèche services presently provided by them remaining operational beyond March 2010. Discussions with third parties are ongoing.