Parents in Aberdeenshire have claimed that their local council “doesn’t care” about children in rural communities after they unexpectedly made a last-minute decision to mothball four nurseries.
Just hours before the Easter school holidays were scheduled to begin last Friday, parents were hit with the news that four rural nurseries would be closed.
Parents told STV News on Wednesday that the news was completely unexpected.
Crossroads Nursery parent Rhona Blackhall said: “We picked up our kids at 2.30pm and at 4pm when we were all home, we got an email from Aberdeenshire Council telling us that our nursery was getting mothballed.
“We’ve all been left in complete limbo not really knowing what’s happening, and it feels like the council doesn’t care about the kids in this rural community.”
The council stated that children at Glass Nursery near Huntly, Ballogie Nursery near Aboyne, Crossroads Nursery near Durris, and Sandhaven Nursery near Fraserburgh will be placed at their second or third choice nursery in August 2025 after their current placements are closed.
Parents claim that they were not consulted ahead of the council’s decision.
“It was just ‘here’s the email, and here’s where you’re going to go’,” Crossroads Nursery parent Alison Clark said.
Ms Blackhall added: “It felt like [the council] doesn’t care about us or our kids at all.”
A spokesperson for the local authoritiy said the decision was made as part of a savings plan identified in the 2025/26 budget.
STV News“We appreciate the mothballing/deactivation of an [early learning and childcare] setting can be a shock to parents and carers, as well as the wider community,” the spokesperson said.
“Our decision to mothballing/deactivate four ELC settings has been thoroughly considered to ensure the quality and sustainability of services and the most efficient use of public money.
“The decision to mothballing/deactivate Crossroads, Sandhaven, Ballogie and Glass ELCs comes amid the ongoing rationalisation of the ELC delivery model.”
However, parents are pushing back against the decision and urging the council to reconsider.
“Where a small setting like this thrives is that they have for the resources and time to be able to spend that with children who may need additional help,” Ms Considine told STV News.
“We’ve had an amazing experience here, and it feels wrong to be robbed of this experience – especially when we prioritised our move to this area to be able to access a small setting like this.
“We felt like it aligned with what we wanted for our children. If we wanted to go to one of bigger town schools would have likely have moved [somewhere else].”
Parents told STV News that Crossroads Nursery – and other rural settings like it – are such a big part of their local community.
“It’s such a special nursery,” Ms Blackhall said.
“The children all love it, the parents all love it. Everyone is so happy.”
The petition launched by local parents on Change.org to “save the nurseries from closure” has gained almost 230 signatures in just three days.
“We will do everything. We’re not going to stop fighting until hopefully we can overturn this decision,” Ms Considine said.
Council response
Aberdeenshire Council cited financial issues and declining birth rates as reasons for their decision to mothball four rural nurseries later this year.
They said that funding for early learning and childcare settings has dropped by around £3m in the last three years.
A spokesperson for Aberdeenshire Council said: “Alongside budgetary pressures, changing demographics in Aberdeenshire – specifically a decline in birth rates – has led to a reduced demand for ELC provision in certain areas.
“As a result, all affected families will be able to access alternative ELC options nearby, and the Early Years Service is working closely with staff to support redeployment opportunities.”
The council said that all four nursery are operating below their operational capacity with a maximum number of five children accessing Glass at present; ten children at Sandhaven; 12 at Crossroads; and 13 at Ballogie.
The council spokesperson added: “It is important to note that this is not a permanent closure. The status of these ELC settings will be reviewed regularly, taking into account demand and forecast data.
“Any decision to permanently close a setting would only be made following full consultation with parents and local communities.”
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