Croydon Council is appealing for resident opinions on potential nursery school closures or mergers, amid fiscal sustainability concerns.

The query forms part of a strategy to tackle financial issues faced by the borough's Maintained Nursery Schools.

These schools, run by local authority, cater to children aged two to four during the typical school day without including extended care.

Their enrolment has experienced a decline in recent years.

The consultation aims to gather public sentiment on the proposal to trim the number of such schools via closures or mergers.

No decision has yet been taken regarding the proposal.

If the verdict leads to closures or mergers of any Maintained Nurseries, a secondary consultation would be initiated, presenting a detailed course of action for public input.

Consultation on the matter will conclude on October 17 at 11.59pm.

Executive Mayor Jason Perry gave the green light in June for consultation on the proposal.

He said: “I know how important early years education and childcare is for families and we have a variety of options available for families in Croydon.

“When I became Mayor, I promised to fix the council’s finances, and this means addressing all areas of council debt.

“Our Maintained Nursery Schools are not financially viable as they are.

“Some are running at a loss which has led to an overall debt of over £560k, and we must find a way to make the service sustainable.

“Doing nothing isn’t an option, but before we consider how we move forward, we need to hear from the families who use the schools, past, present, and future, to help develop alternative options.

“I encourage anyone with a connection to the schools to get involved and have their say.”

“Each response will be valuable in assessing the potential impacts of the proposal and will assist in making a well-considered decision.

"We need to hear from the families who use the schools, past, present and future, to help develop alternative options."