Glenfair in Camelon is under threat of the axe from sweeping changes to early years provision planned by Falkirk Council.

Under the new deal it would close and the youngsters moved to join kids at Camelon Children's Centre.

Consultation to get the views of mums and dads started in January and, at a meeting of the council's education committee on Tuesday, it was agreed Glenfair should shut.

But local councillor Joe Lemetti managed to stall the plans after suggesting the talks that were held possibly did not reflect the true feelings of parents because very few families involved had been able to attend the public meeting.

His call for more time to hear their views won the support of the SNP and Tory members of the committee.

Councillor Lemetti said: "I have a letter from one parent who has spoken to others with children at Glenfair who claims they are all against this proposal.

''On that basis, could there be more talks before a final decision is taken? I'm asking because I'm a local councillor and concerned not everyone has been heard."

Nigel Fletcher, the council's head of educational support said that "overall" consultation on plans to merge Glenfair with Camelon Children's Centre, Woodburn Day Nursery in Falkirk with Queen Street
Nursery School and Grangemouth Day Nursery and Inchyra Nursery School had met with a "positive" response.

He said the changes were aimed at making better use of staff and resources and delivering a better pre-school deal for the young.

The director of education Julia Swan said: "I have not had any phone calls or letters from Glenfair parents.

''We tried very hard to get everyone involved in the consultation process. The date of the meeting was advertised in the nursery school."

But the former convener of education, Councillor Tom Coleman, said: "If the community of Camelon are unhappy there should be additional consultation." SNP colleague John McNally added: "Given what's been said this morning it's only right the people involved are given a second chance."

The committee did agree, however, that the rest of the amalgamation package go ahead, probably by the end of the summer.

The premises used by Woodburn Day Nursery and Grangemouth Day Nursery will be declared surplus to requirements and could be sold off if no other council department has a use for them.

s.barber@falkirkherald.co.uk