The principal of one of the north of England's largest colleges has defended its decision to shut two popular on-site nurseries.
Middlesbrough College, which has more than 13,000 students, will shut its nurseries when it moves to a new £68m campus this September - a decision criticised by local parents.
Principal John Hogg told CYP Now the £100,000 annual cost of continuing provision could be better spent on other priorities. "The nurseries are only 70 per cent full," he said. "We have spoken with local Sure Start services and they say there are a lot of unfilled places in the area. We don't want to get rid of good provision, but we have to prioritise our funds. Students who qualify for childcare support will still get it."
