Parents in nursery campaign
Parents and children took to the streets yesterday in protest at plans to close the workplace nursery at Leicester's HM Revenue and Customs office.
Up to 30 campaigners, with placards and banners, gathered at Nipper's nursery, at Saxon House, in Causeway Lane, for the demonstration.
-
The nursery is one of eight across the country that HMRC has announced will close at the end of November.
It said that not enough employees were using them, with most of the places taken up by children from non-HMRC parents.
Cheap Motor Insurance Nationwide With Free Legal Expenses Valued...
View detailsCheap Motor Insurance Nationwide With Free Legal Expenses Valued at £25.00! Call 01782 898188
Terms: 1 Voucher Per Customer
Contact: 01782 898188
Valid until: Saturday, July 20 2013
Compliance officer Natasha Shelton, of Knighton, and her two-year-old son Marcus were among the protesters.
"To send Marcus somewhere else will cost almost £700 a month, several hundred pounds more than it does now," she said.
"We don't understand HMRC's thinking as our nursery is very popular with employees.
"The bottom line is we don't think there is any justification in closing it.
"It's not just about us, but also the jobs of the 13 staff at the nursery."
The parents at Nippers, which opened in 1997, are among up to 2,000 people who signed a national petition opposing the closures.
The HMRC has offered staff time off and vouchers to help them find alternative nursery provision.
George Smith, local branch president of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: "These measures offered to staff will cost the department more than they will save by closing the nurseries."
A spokeswoman for HMRC has previously said: "All of our on-site nurseries will be closing in November. They are under-occupied and the demand has continued to fall."
Comments