AN EYE-WATERING legal bill close to £40,000 has been handed to parents who tried to save their nursery from being closed down.

The costs order was revealed as the High Court threw out a claim for a judicial review into Islington Council’s handling of the closure of the Paradise Park Nursery.

The Tribune reported that the parent group had submitted a claim, attempting to halt on the nursery’s closure on the grounds it was “irrational and unlawful”.

The nursery is set to close next week despite months-long efforts of parents and staff to save it.

Although the nursery was run by 55-year-old charity Islington Play Association, the building is council-owned and so the Town Hall became the eventual focal point of parents’ protests.

Parents told the Tribune at the time the judicial review was submitted that due to a lack of engagement from IPA, they saw the Town Hall as the only hope to save the nursery.

But their case was dismissed by a High Court judge this week and the three named litigants were given 14 days to cover the Town Hall’s legal costs, which total £36,276. The judge gave the parents the option to appeal these costs.

The Tribune understands that parents are currently weighing up whether to pursue a fight against the costs, either through the courts or politically.

Jonny Singer, who has been a leading campaigner since the nursery first announced its closure in May, said that the parent group were “disappointed” at the High Court ruling.

Speaking on behalf of parents, he said: “We are disappointed about the outcome from the High Court, but we accept the judge’s ruling. The court found that the decision taken in February was not one it could review.

“That is a question of legal process, it says nothing about whether what Islington Council did was right. We maintain that it is morally unacceptable to shut an over-subscribed nursery, at extremely short notice and with no accountability.”

Islington Council confirmed this week that temporary nursery provision will extend over the summer holidays until September.

Mr Singer added: “Closing Paradise Park Nursery will have a devastating effect on the community, particularly on lower-income families, and we will continue to ask the council to explain why they were blindsided by financial issues at a major contractor and how they allowed this situation to get so out of hand.”

The trustees at the IPA have declined to comment further while the final negotiations around staff at the nursery continue. A full council meeting heard earlier this month how the charity had flagged up its financial difficulties last year. Council chiefs say they wanted to work with it, but a decision was taken by the IPA to close.

Green councillor Carlos Valero said: “We’re pleased the council will provide temporary provision at Paradise Park Children’s Centre over the summer, as well as taking responsibility for the adventure playgrounds.

“This is a huge relief for many families and a testament to the determination of parents and staff who have campaigned tirelessly.

“Looking beyond September, the council must have a clear plan for the purpose-built Paradise Park building and how it will continue to serve local families. While temporary provision is a positive step, serious questions remain about how we got here, and we’ll continue pushing for a full spotlight review so parents get the answers they deserve.”

Islington Council leader Councillor Una O’Halloran said: “I know it’s been an anxious time for the families affected by IPA’s decision to surrender the contract for Paradise Park nursery.

“With enough childcare available elsewhere, it didn’t make sense to fund a new, permanent replacement, but we are committed to making the transition to alternative, affordable settings as smooth as possible.”

The future of IPA’s four adventure playgrounds was also decided this week as the Town Hall confirmed they would be temporarily taking them on whilst they looked for a long-term provider.

Cllr O’Halloran added: “We’ve worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the four adventure playgrounds run by Islington Play Association will remain open throughout the summer and beyond, under our management, with no gap in provision.

“This is great news for thousands of children and young people who can continue to explore, create and have fun while overseen by qualified play workers.”