Parents ask for help as town's playgroup is about the close

* Llangollen Playgroup, housed in the youth club, is due to close on November 4.

Llangollen Playgroup is to close on November 4 and worried parents are asking their MP and MS to help with what they say is Llangollen’s insufficient childcare provision. 

The loss of the playgroup, which is based at the youth club on Willow Hill, comes just over a year after the closure of Llangollen Day Nursery in August last year.

One parent from the area, who doesn’t wish to be identified, has presented a full briefing about the situation to Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins and Clwyd South MS Ken Skates, hoping to enlist their support in finding alternative facilities for their children.

The parent says tells the two politicians: “Following the closure of Llangollen Day Nursery in August 2023 and the recent announcement of Llangollen Playgroup to close its doors as of 4th November 2024, I am writing to complain regarding the insufficient childcare provision for Llangollen town, the impact of which has not only had great adverse effects on my own family but to a great number of families in the area. I write on behalf of myself and those families.

“The Childcare Act 2006 Act places a duty on local authorities to ‘secure, provision of childcare that is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area to enable them to take up or remain in work’.

“Currently Denbighshire County Council are not delivering against their statutory duties.

 “Given that this issue has remained unresolved since Summer 2023 and Denbighshire CC representatives have failed to keep parents sufficiently updated as per requests or successfully acted to prevent failures in provisions I am seeking your support to act in the interests of your constituents.”

The parent says that when Llangollen Playgroup, based in the Youth Club on Willow Hill, announced its closure on October 16, effective from November 4, reasons cited included ‘no viable way of continuing in [the] current economic climate with all the changes that are being forced upon [them] both now and in the near future’.”

The parent explains that both their spouse and themselves have highly demanding jobs and that “this lack of support has a great impact on our ability to balance our responsibilities to both childcare and business,” adding: “When Llangollen Day Nursery closed we were left without childcare from 14:30hrs Mon-Fri and no childcare outside of term time.”

The parent gives numerous details of how others like them in Llangollen will be affected if the playgroup closes without the facilities it provides being replaced.

The parent who contacted them wants Mr Skates and Ms Gittins "to show dedication on working with Denbighshire CC to resolve these matters expediently, advocating on behalf of the families of Llangollen and surrounding areas, providing us consistent updates on progress.”

* A Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, Denbighshire County Council are aware of Llangollen Playgroup's recent announcement to close, despite working closely with them over the last few months to try and extend their childcare provision in the area. 

"Council officers are now working with Llangollen Playgroup and other local childcare providers to explore all potential options to help resolve these issues. However, any alternative would be subject to CIW [Care Inspectorate Wales] registration timescales."