A CHURCH congregation is refusing to justify its decision to pull the plug on a pre-school group, leaving more than 100 children without nursery places.

Picardy Pre-School has been running at Belvedere and Erith Congregational Church for 55 years, renting part of its church hall.

But now church members have decided not to renew the pre-school’s lease, forcing it to close for good on July 23.

They say the contract between the pre-school owner Karen West and the church is “a private matter between a landlord and its tenant” and have refused to comment any further.

One parent, Mark Duneclift, described the decision as “a real un-Christian kick in the teeth for the community”.

The church, in Picardy Road, Belvedere, has successfully bid for a series of grants from the Cory Environmental Trust in Britain, which has helped it to create a large soft play area, Noah’s Ark, in the hall for local children.

Now, with another £60,000 it intends to create a training room with IT suite for use in conjunction with local colleges.

This means there will be no room for the pre-school.

The church, which describes itself having “the best interests of the community in which we live, at heart”, says although the pre-school was started by the church, it is now a completely separate business.

The pre-school lease runs out at the beginning of October, but its owner, Mrs West who has run it for more than 20 years, says with building work due to start in the hall, it would not be safe for the children to return after the summer.

Mrs West said: “I had no idea this was going to happen.

“When the vicar, Mark Evans, asked to speak to me I thought it was to discuss how we would cope with the building work.

“He made it clear the matter was not up for discussion. There was no apology or thanks.

“I was totally shellshocked.”

She said the pre-school had recently received a glowing Ofsted report and with a growing waiting list for places, and 40 children at each morning and afternoon session, it was the busiest it had ever been.

Mrs West said since Rev Evans had broken the news, Bexley Council has tried and failed to find any alternative accommodation.

Mr Duneclift, who is also a member of the parochial church council at nearby St Augustine’s Church, described the decision as “a disgusting affair” and claimed the area was already overwhelmed with IT training initiatives..

He is one of a number of parents who have written to the Congregational Church Federation and to Cory Environmental.

Bexley has advised parents looking for alternative pre-school places, to call its family information service on 0208 856 5398.