The closure of the borough’s last remaining publicly run nursery has been called a 'sad day for Bolton' after the final decision this week.

Harvey Nursery, in Great Lever, has been earmarked for closure since 2017 and has been at the centre of a huge campaign to keep it open ever since.

The nursery was brought back for review several times until finally this week, the council announced it will close at the end of the academic year.

Town hall chiefs say the decision was made following recommendations from a committee which included parents and independent experts.

However, the group made clear that the financial viability of Harvey Nursery in no way reflects the quality of provision, which has been rated good by Ofsted.

Remaining families will now be supported to move to alternative providers.

Bolton Council said the Great Lever nursery costs council tax payers in excess of £100,000 a year and was projected to operate at just 25 per cent capacity by September.

However, the group made clear that the financial viability of Harvey Nursery in no way reflects the quality of provision, which has been rated good by Ofsted.

Last Bolton Council run nursery to close after long battle

Yasmin Qureshi MP said: “The closure of Harvey’s Nursery speaks to a wider malaise facing early years care and childcare in Britain.

“Working families in our country face the highest childcare costs in Europe, in some cases it pays for working parents not to work because the costs are so extortionate.”

Labour group leader Cllr Nick Peel says the rules will not allow his party to challenge the decision any further.

He said: “Bolton Labour Councillors led the fight to keep this valuable nursery open, and we managed to delay the closure for several years, but now the Tory Council has pushed ahead with their original closure plans, and unfortunately the Council constitution does not allow us to again call this decision in for further scrutiny.

“It means the end of local authority nursery provision, which is based upon service rather than profit, and is a very sad day for Bolton.”

But the council concluded that there was no sustainable business model that would allow the nursery to continue.

Executive member for Children’s Services Cllr Anne Galloway said: “This in no way reflects the quality of childcare provision at Harvey Nursery or the hard work and dedication of staff.

“These savings will allow us to continue providing other valuable services for children and young people across the borough.

“Families will now be supported to access other provision in the area.”