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1.9.6 Legal difficulties arose because the premises belonged to a charity, but finally
with the agreement of all concerned the Charity Commissioners proposed a scheme by
which the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the London Borough of Camden became the
trustees of the charity, which was renamed the Konstam Centre Charity.
1.9.7 The Minister of Health approved on 20th July. 1966, a proposal under Section 22
of the National Health Service Act, 1946, for the Borough Council "to enter into agreements
with voluntary organisations for the provision of satisfactory day nursery and
creche facilities on terms and conditions to be mutually agreed and to contribute to such
voluntary organisations."
1.9.8 The Council agreed to pay to the Trustees the amount needed to adapt the
premises, henceforth to be named the Konstam Centre, as a day nursery providing 50
places (including a special unit for 9 mentally handicapped children) and a creche for 20
children.
1.9.9 Detailed planning of the necessary adaptations was carried out in 1966 by the
Borough Architect, Mr. S.A.G. Cook. A.R.I.B. A., and his colleagues in close collaboration
with Dr. Dorothy P. Egan. our consultant for maternal and child health services, and the
senior staff of the health department.
1.9.10 Loan sanction was given in February. 1967, to adapt and equip the nursery and
special care unit at costs of £19,440 and £2,260 respectively.
1.9.11 The changing orientation of progressive day nursery care presented major
pioblems for the adaptation. No longer are large numbers of children of the same age
grouped together; instead, for children over one year of age. smaller 'family groups'
provide a more natural basis, the older children spending some part of the day with the
warden in a special play room.
1.9.12 The building now provides on the ground floor a reception room; two babies'
rooms (for 4 babies each); changing room; milk room; creche for half-day care of 25
children; play room; cloakroom and sanitary annexe; kitchen; store and servery; staff
cloakroom and W.C.; caretaker's flat and on the first floor Matron's office; medical examination
room; staff common room; cloakroom and W.C.'s; special unit with sanitary annexe
for 9 mentally handicapped children; one group room with sanitary annexe for 9 children,
three group rooms for 8 children each; and warden's indoor play room.
1.9.13 The official opening of the Konstam Centre was performed by the Rt. Hon.
Kenneth Robinson, M.P., Minister of Health in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. N. Farquharson
on 6th March, 1968.
REGENT'S PARK DAY NURSERY
1.10.1 The premises at 4, Prince Albert Road were requisitioned during the war by the
former St. Pancras Borough Council for use as a day nursery. They were later taken over
by the London County Council on a lease which expired in October, 1962. The Crown
Estate Commissioners then proposed a further seven-year lease at a rental increased
from £400 to£2,000 p.a. After negotiation a two-year lease was agreed from 1st May, 1963
at a rental of £1,000 p.a. Following the formation of the London Borough of Camden a
three-year extension was finally agreed at a rental of £1,400 p.a.
1.10.2 In January, 1966, the building was inspected from the point of view of fire
precautions, and it was recommended that unless extensive works were done to provide
alternative egress the use of the upper floors as a day nursery should be discontinued.
In view of the cost of the works and the difficulties that had been experienced in negotiating
with the Crown Estate Commissioners it was decided not to carry out the works
but to reduce the number of nursery places from 50 to 22, and to provide an alternative
day nursery, if possible.
1.10.3 A site for a new day nursery was found in Augustus Street on the Regent's Park
Estate, but on planning grounds the Council decided that the site should be developed
to include car parking on the lower floors.
1.10.4 The Borough Architect prepared a sketch scheme which allowed for two levels
of car parking with the day nursery above and this was approved by the Council in
April, 1967. Loan sanction to £56,053 for the erection of the day nursery and £99,359 for
a car park was given at the end of September, 1967.
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