Hartlepool's Oscar's child care service could close as part of £3m Hartlepool Borough Council planned cuts

Oscar’s, run by Hartlepool Borough Council, provides after school and holiday care to children aged between three and 16.

The local authority’s children’s services committee had been due to consider its future earlier this year until the decision was deferred.

This was to allow the council “to further engage with staff and parents who use the service” following “concerns” around the potential closure.

The proposals are now being revisited as part of wider £2.954million savings plans to help the council tackle its estimated £13.144million deficit forecast for 2025-26.

The decision to close Oscar’s would save an estimated £18,000 next year according to budget reports and “mitigation action is planned to support families to access alternative childcare provision”.

Council chiefs stressed they have carried out a sufficiency analysis of the child care market and there are places in the town for both after school and holiday provision for those who have been using Oscar’s.

The latest meeting of the children’s services committee heard from officers how the service, which has been operating for 38 years in the town, “is well regarded but the take up is quite low”.

Sally Robinson, executive director of children’s and commissioning services said: “Over time the take up of that service has reduced such that it is not financially viable.

“It’s actually been run at a cost to the council, making it a subsidised service.

“Through our child care sufficiency assessment we know that there are places across the town that will be able to support those children.”

A final decision on the future of Oscar’s, which is currently run from Golden Flatts Primary School, will be made as part of council budget decisions in February.

Officers noted “significant changes in the education and child care landscape has impacted” the service, leading to a reduction in the numbers of children.

Council reports earlier this year stated Oscar’s has been running over budget for a number of years, including by £46,000 last year, while demand has fallen despite “significant marketing” of the service.

Ms Robinson added the council has a child care team which can advise where there is capacity and places available.

It can be contacted on (01429) 284284 or at [email protected].