PARENTS in some parts of Brent will have more childcare options from September after councillors approved an expansion of nurseries and children's centre services.

Two new nurseries will be established in public buildings and a third existing nursery will be allowed to take over a whole building following a decision by Brent Council's cabinet committee on Monday.

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The committee was told in a report: "The consultation to date has shown positive results as all aspects of the proposal represent an enhancement of the current service and any services which will no longer be available at current delivery times will be available nearby.

"The Parents’ Forum discussions have shown a positive response to the proposals and the chairs of the Locality Advisory Boards have also shown support for the proposals."

Barham Park Building in Harrow Road, Sudbury, is run by Brent Council as a children's centre but currently only offers services on a day-and-a-half each week.

The council's cabinet committee decided on Monday last week to lease the building to a nursery provider with at least a 'Good' rating from Ofsted to open a nursery on weekdays. The existing daytime children's centre sessions would take place on evenings and weekends instead.

Cabinet members further agreed Treetops Nursery, based in just one part of Treetops Children's Centre, a council-owned children's centre in Doyle Gardens, Willesden, will be offered to lease the whole centre for its operations and, similarly, the children's centre activities would be rescheduled to evenings and weekends.

Rental income would be used by the council to offer children's centre services from the Wembley Centre for Health and Care in High Road, Willesden.

Meanwhile the cabinet committee approved the conversion of the under-utilised hall at St Raphael’s Intergenerational Children's Centre in Rainborough Close on the St Raphaels Estate to enable it to be leased to a nursery provider boasting a minimum 'Good' Ofsted rating.

Ofsted inspection rated the Wembley cluster of children's centres - which includes Alperton Children's Centre in Ealing Road, Alperton, and the Barham Park Building - 'Good' following an inspection in May and the same grading was given to the cluster known as The Curzon Crescent and Fawood Children’s Centre Partnership in November last year.

The Kingsbury cluster was judged to 'requiring improvement' in October by Ofsted inspectors who criticised the lack of use by local families of the centres and the varying effectiveness and impact of the quality of services and activities provided.