Bosses at UHI Perth have u-turned on plans to close its nursery facility ahead of the next academic year.
The facility at the college is considered a lifeline which allows parents to work and study on campus.
Only last week it was believed that 50 staff - including 14 from the nursery - would lose their jobs at UHI Perth as the college tried to find ways to deal with a “potential” £3 million funding deficit for the next academic year 2023/24.
The constituency offices of MP Pete Wishart, and MSPs John Swinney and Jim Fairlie, were flooded with concerns from students anxious at the purse string-tightening process which threatened to leave them without childcare.
Mr Wishart called the proposal to remove the on-site nursery “absurd”.
Others enrolled in further education were anxious they would lose valued tutors or have no course to return to in September.
But on Tuesday, after consultation with staff, representatives and unions, UHI Perth principal and chief executive Dr Margaret Cook announced the consultation period would be extended and the nursery would stay.
She said: “We recognise the anxiety and challenges that this process raises, and have agreed the following changes:
“The consultation process will be extended until the end of September 2023, thereby giving more time to consider alternative proposals, options and suggestions.
“The nursery will be removed from the current consultation process. The nursery manager will work with the vice principal, operations to look at what options can be considered to make the nursery a viable option for the future.
“Children will continue to be accepted for the 2023/24 academic year. Staff have been informed and a letter will go out to parents/carers today.”
The UHI Perth nursery is a purpose-built facility off the Crieff Road which caters for up to 56 children aged one to five. It received a glowing report in December 2021 from the Care Inspectorate which assesses the quality of care.
Perth City North councillor Brian Leishman responded: “The senior management have listened to the feelings of support and appreciation parents have for the fantastic care the staff at the nursery provide.
“While the decision to stay open is welcomed, it should be remembered that the senior management team made their initial decision to close the nursery with zero consultation of parents or the dedicated staff. That is appalling.
“The nursery is very well regarded throughout the community and the fact that parents would have been left scrambling about trying to organise alternative care with just a few weeks notice is dreadful.
“As is the fact that 14 staff from the nursery would have lost their jobs.
“Thankfully, the right decision has been made but the fight to secure the long term future of the nursery must go on so that this isn’t just a temporary reprieve.”
MP for Perth and North Perthshire, Mr Wishart, said: “My office has been inundated with constituents who were rightly appalled by this proposal, telling me of the profoundly positive experiences they have had with the facility.
“These testimonies were reinforced when I visited the nursery last Friday and heard from teachers, parents and union representatives about all that the facility has to offer.
“It is evidently a lifeline for students with young children who, in many cases, may not be able to complete their studies without it.
“The proposal to close it in spite of its obvious and far-reaching benefits was absurd, so I am thrilled to hear that this is no longer on the table.”
Mr Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, said:“I will continue to work with staff and students to offer any support I can and put forward any concerns they may have.”
MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire Mr Fairlie said: “I had extremely grave concerns about the prospect of UHI closing the nursery, so I am very pleased to hear they have reconsidered.”
In the latest update from principal Cook she confirmed the college “will continue with securing approval for the enhanced voluntary severance scheme”. She promised better consultation and drop-in opportunities but did not apologise for last week’s perceived lack of transparency.
Dozens of students were unsure if their courses would be dropped next year, with SVQ Hairdressing students fearing they would not get an opportunity to progress from Level 5 to Level 6 and so complete their qualification.
Several complained to the PA that without direct communication from college authorities of what the funding deficit would mean for their career progressions, their treatment had been “disgusting”.
On Thursday last week they received confirmation that their course would continue into next year.
Two open staff meetings are planned for today, June 2.
Dr Cook concluded: “The college remains in a position where we have a potential £3m deficit going into the 2023/24 academic year, and we continue to have rising staff costs along with spiralling inflation and utility costs. The changes being considered are to ensure the long-term sustainability of UHI Perth.”
