Janine GriffithsParents and carers at Shepherd’s Lane Little Owls nursery in Harehills were shocked this week after receiving a letter from Sunshine Community Nurseries Ltd, the private owners Leeds City Council has selected to take over the nursery.
The letter announced fees will rise by a huge 24%, going from £61 a day currently to almost £76 a day from April 2026. This confirms the fears that parents and carers raised throughout the campaign against the proposals for closure and privatisation of some Little Owls Nurseries, when they warned that private providers would likely reduce hours or increase fees.
Iain Dalton, a spokesperson of the Save Little Owls Nurseries campaign, said the news was a predicted outcome of the council’s strategy.
“Throughout our campaigning over the last year and a half, Save Little Owls Nurseries campaigners have warned that any attempts to privatise nurseries would likely lead to detrimental changes for parents and carers as the new private owners sought to protect and increase their profits.
“This is why it has been so vital that our campaign has existed to organise the opposition of parents, carers and trade unionists against these proposals, meaning that at least ¾ of nurseries the council had suggested could be privatised remain in council hands without theses fee hikes.
“Leeds City Council has always had an alternative to closing and privatising nurseries with a detrimental effect on parents, carers and their children. At every stage we have asked for them to work with us and the trade unions representing nursery workers to campaign to demand the funds necessary from central government to ensure high quality, affordable nursery provision remains in Leeds.”
For more info, contact Save Little Owls nurseries campaigner, Iain Dalton on 07809839793 / savelittleowls@gmail.com.
