THE owner of a day nursery, whose future has been in the balance for 16 months, has confirmed that it will close.

Martine Williams, who owns Martine’s Child Care, based at Ysgol Llywelyn in Rhyl, says the nursery will shut before the end of the current school year at the latest.

The primary school’s governing body says it needs the space the nursery occupies for “educational purposes” but Mrs Williams has blamed a lack of communication for her decision to close.

She says the nursery, and its 10 staff, have been waiting for a definitive answer regarding its future after being handed a six-month eviction notice in July 2017.

She said: “I don’t know where it all went wrong. All we’ve ever wanted to know was what they wanted to do with the building we’re in.

“We’re one of the flagship childcare facilities in the area, but no one has ever bother speaking to us or having a meeting. It’s completely knocked the fight out of us.”

Mrs Williams said she had received promises from the board of governors that a final decision about the building’s future would be made on Friday, October 5.

But she said she had to chase up the decision and was informed that discussions were scheduled for future.

In a letter to parents, seen by the Journal, Mrs Williams says: “It is with deep regret that I must announce that we can no longer continue to run Martine’s Child Care.

“I have repeatedly asked the school governors their intentions towards the building and unfortunately, they are still not giving us any answers – despite being told that we would have something by Friday, October 5.

“The latest reply on Saturday evening was that we “would be informed in due course”.

“I will try my hardest to keep the nursery open until the end of the school year in July, but obviously this depends on whether I lose even more staff and children too.”

Mrs Williams said the nursery, which has been based at the school since 2011 and provides wraparound child care for parents whose children go to the school, was issued its notice without any prior discussions or meetings with the board of governors.

Since receiving the eviction notice, the nursery has lost five members of management staff.

Mrs Williams said she had been unable to recruit any replacements because the uncertainty over the nursery’s future meant that applicants would fear there was no long-term job security.

She says the nursery, and its 10 staff, have been waiting for a definitive answer regarding its future after being handed a six-month eviction notice in July 2017.

She said: “I don’t know where it all went wrong. All we’ve ever wanted to know was what they wanted to do with the building we’re in.

“We’re one of the flagship childcare facilities in the area, but no one has ever bother speaking to us or having a meeting. It’s completely knocked the fight out of us.”

Mrs Williams said she had received promises from the board of governors that a final decision about the building’s future would be made on Friday, October 5.

But she said she had to chase up the decision and was informed that discussions were scheduled for a future date.

In a letter to parents, seen by the Journal, Mrs Williams says: “It is with deep regret that I must announce that we can no longer continue to run Martine’s Child Care.

“I have repeatedly asked the school governors their intentions towards the building and unfortunately, they are still not giving us any answers – despite being told that we would have something by Friday, October 5.

“The latest reply on Saturday evening was that we “would be informed in due course”.

“I will try my hardest to keep the nursery open until the end of the school year in July, but obviously this depends on whether I lose even more staff and children too.”

Mrs Williams said the nursery, which has been based at the school since 2011 and provides wraparound child care for parents whose children go to the school, was issued its notice without any prior discussions or meetings with the board of governors.

Since receiving the eviction notice, the nursery has lost five members of staff.

Mrs Williams said she had been unable to recruit any replacements because the uncertainty over the nursery’s future meant that applicants would fear there was no long-term job security.

She said she and one other member of staff had been forced to work seven days a week to ensure the necessary level of cover for children as well as management of the business. Mrs Williams added: “I cannot recruit as I cannot offer any job security and I am having to turn children away as I do not have enough staff to cover the staff to child ratio.

“For the first time this year, we had to close over the October half-term.”

“We’ve had no lease, no guarantee about our safety – it’s made us all anxious and ill not knowing what’s going to happen.

“I am worried that if anybody is sick that I will not be able to cover them, and I certainly do not want to put any children at risk.”

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “The decision to terminate the lease was made by the school’s governing body, based on utilising the space for educational purposes.

“The council contacted Martine’s Child Care in March this year, informing them that the earliest date their lease would come to an end would be September 2019.

“Since that communication, there has been no change in circumstances.

“The decision to potentially end provision before September 2019 has been made by Martine’s Child Care. The school and the council will work with Martine’s Child Care and all the families affected to ensure access to good quality child care and early education going forward.

“The school is working closely with the council to ensure they are following due process around their decision making concerning provision at the school.”

But Mrs Williams hit back, saying: “The county claims that I made the decision, but they have forced us to do this – it’s become virtually impossible to carry on.

“I don’t think there was a cat in hell’s chance they were going to give us the building – and if they were, they’d have done it already.

“I feel bad, because the parents have fought like hell to keep the place open and have been so supportive, but on the other hand, it’s a relief to take the decision back into our own hands.”

Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane said: “Martine’s is a very popular childcare provider, with inspired leadership and dedicated staff, and has been for many years, so it will definitely be missed.

“When we met last year they made a very good case as to why they should be able to continue on the site and I’m sure they will be very disappointed that this decision to close had to be made. If those involved wished to do so, I would hope that alternative premises could be found so that the nursery can continue to provide these excellent services in the town.”

The Ysgol Llywelyn board of governors said they were unable to comment to the Journal at the time of going to press.