THE growing trend towards flexible working hours has prompted a Bury councillor to call for an increase in weekend child care facilities.

The appeal from Holyrood ward councillor Wilf Davison comes in response to a decision by council planning bosses to prevent a Whitefield nursery opening at weekend.

The PIES (Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social) Kindergarten at Bury New Road applied for permission to open between 8am and 6pm on Saturdays.

The application was refused on the grounds that parking problems in the area are already particularly severe. But PIES owner, Frances Lawrence, said she would appeal against the decision.

Coun Davison stood alone in support of Mrs Lawrence at Wednesday's planning meeting.

He said: "I felt parking problems were over-ridden by the need for professional day care facilities. Working hours are becoming much more flexible and more people are obliged to work on Saturdays.

"Child minding facilities are therefore as important on Saturdays as they are between Monday and Friday.

"At present, very few nurseries are open at weekends and people are forced to make ad hoc arrangements with family and friends. "With more and more people finding themselves in this situation it makes sense to provide nursery facilities for children on Saturday as well as between Monday and Friday.

"Mrs Lawrence's application is the first one I have come across and although I appreciate the parking issues, they can be solved in a different way." Mrs Lawrence wants to open on Saturdays for up to twelve children aged between two and eight.

She said: "The nursery has its own car park which the small number of parents would have used if they came by car.

"The nursery has been in the area for nine years and there has never been mention of us causing a problem in the area. Provision in child care should be extended to provide for the needs of parents and children in today's society.

"That is, varied working hours, single parent families and the demands of employers for weekend work.

"It will be years before Bury Council can provide this kind of provision yet a local business willing to take the initiative is refused."

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