* Llangollen Day Nursery closed in the summer of 2023.
What campaigners claim is Llangollen’s lack of adequate childcare facilities for working parents has been highlighted in the Welsh Senedd.
Since the closure of Llangollen Day Nursery in East Street in the autumn of 2023 and the loss of Llangollen Playgroup last winter, worried parents have been claiming not enough is being done to make up the shortfall in provision.
And one of them has involved local politicians in the fight to secure extra places.
North Wales Senedd Member Sam Rowlands was asked to raise the issue in a Senedd recent plenary session.
And he requested an official response from the Welsh Government.
He said: “I'd like to call for a statement from the Minister for Children and Social Care regarding the role of councils in ensuring that there is enough childcare provision in our communities.
“A resident of mine, Chelsea Robinson, has been in touch regarding the lack of childcare provision to support working parents in Denbighshire. Indeed, the council has admitted that there is a childcare sufficiency gap in Llangollen.
“You'll know, Minister, that the Childcare Act 2006 is in place to ensure that there's a duty on local authorities to make sure that there's enough provision in our communities, and seemingly Denbighshire County Council are not doing anything about it for residents in Llangollen.
“So, I'd like a statement from the Minister to outline what they're doing to support councils to ensure that there's appropriate childcare provision.”
The Senedd’s Trefnydd, or Leader of the House, replied on behalf of the Minister for Children and Social Care: “We invest more than £100 million every year in childcare for children aged two and up through our flagship Flying Start and childcare offer schemes, and we're committed to the further expansion of Flying Start childcare for two-year-olds, and we're working closely with local authorities on their plans.”
A Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: “The council reviews its Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Action Plan annually and have updated it to include the childcare sufficiency gap in Llangollen as a priority.
"In the last year, we have been working with existing childcare providers in Llangollen to try to support them to expand their offer to provide full day childcare, including under 2’s.
"Our officers are also meeting with representatives of Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) and the Welsh Government’s WeCare Wales to discuss driving recruitment for new childminders in Llangollen and surrounding areas. "
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