“SERIOUS questions” have been asked of Islington Council’s conduct over the closure of Paradise Park Nursery, as affected parents and staff ramp up their protests before it closes next month.

Parents met with council leader Una O’Halloran while children passed her handwritten letters pleading for the council to intervene, as they grouped outside the Town Hall for another protest last Saturday.

In addition, a legal letter – seen by the Tribune – has been submitted to the council, demanding a halt to the closure, which the dozens of signatories allege is “irrational and unlawful”.

This builds on an online petition that now has more than 4,000 signatures.

In a statement released on its website, which has since been removed, the council said it was ordered by Islington Play Association (IPA) to close the nursery and “reluctantly” agreed, but that this instruction took them by surprise.

But it has since been revealed that the Town Hall was made aware of the charity’s financial difficulties as early as November 2025 when they had a meeting with the charity about a forthcoming closure.

Daniel Shannon-Hughes, whose child attends the nursery, said that Islington was trying to “pass the buck” onto IPA for the closure, and that as the sole funder of the nursery they had a “responsibility to keep it open”.

He told the Tribune: “We were grateful to Una O’Halloran for agreeing to meet with us, and one of the best results so far has been more dialogue with the council, but ultimately we need actions as well from them which is what we haven’t seen.

“We wanted to show Una and the wider council the real human impact that these closures will have, from children losing their friends to the staff’s jobs losses.

“It’s the council who contracted out this service, and it’s the council who have the power to save it. We want to make it clear that the council is making a choice with this.”

Parents have questioned why key information was withheld from the public, accusing the council of deliberately avoiding any scrutiny and accountability in its conduct.

They have called for more transparency, as they have been informed that the issue will not be discussed at the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on June 29.

Yiannis Baboulias, one of the parents, told the Tribune: “My 14-month-old daughter started at the nursery in March. It’s maddening that she was allowed to start at a time when the council knew the nursery would be closing in the coming months.

“I don’t know of any legal obligation of a council not to tell its residents of a forthcoming decision that will affect them.

“It’s very hard not to think that there may have been a cynical calculation that the council knew it would be a very tightly contested election and opted to hide what was really happening with the nursery from the parents, for fear of losing votes.

“There were some seats, including Laycock where the nursery is, that were won by margins as small as twelve votes, and so the timing of the announcement feels like a political choice.

“We have since met with the council a few times now in various settings, and they have pretty much affirmed that the decision is final each time.

“The councillors have, frankly, been giving very generalised responses. It feels impossible to get a straight answer on anything.”

Jonny Singer, another parent, added: “The more Cllr O’Halloran and other councillors feel they are publicly accountable for the decision, the more pressure they will feel under to act to keep our nursery open.

“It’s just wild that even the scrutiny committee can’t get any answers on who took this decision and why.”

Councillor Sheila Chapman, the Town Hall’s children’s chief, said: “We recognise the concern this has caused for families, staff and the wider community. Our priority is the wellbeing of children and ensuring access to high-quality childcare.

“Islington Play Association, an independent charity, asked to end its contract early to operate the nursery, and we agreed to support an orderly transition.

“We are working directly with families to find suitable childcare, including support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and will continue providing clear information and practical support throughout.”