News from Westminster Labour

Westminster Labour supports Marylebone parents’ nursery places campaign

Labour Councillors have given their support to Marylebone parents who are finding it difficult to get affordable local child care, following a survey last year which found that there were 380 children under five years old in Marylebone but only 43 nursery places – almost nine children for each place. The survey also found that there was no provision for out-of-hours activities for children over five years old in the Marylebone area.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, has now written to Westminster City Council’s Head of Early Years, Mike Potter, to ask what help the Council is able to give to the local parents, Claudia Morales Martin of Weymouth Street, and Diane Ward who are leading a group of parents campaigning for more nursery places in Marylebone at affordable prices.

Councillor Dimoldenberg said:

“The Marylebone area has been attracting more families for the past five years or more and there is now a growing family community with many young children. Yet the Council has done little to support this growing community with the necessary local services such as childcare. The same is true in North Paddington, St John’s Wood and other parts of Westminster where the Conservatives have been more concerned with charging high rents to nursery providers than ensuring that there is enough affordable childcare to meet the growing need.”

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