Councillors decided unanimously last night to close the nursery and merge it with Park Place.

While denying the merger was driven by financial considerations, a report to councillors said it would save the council more than £82,000 in 2008/09 and almost £132,000 in subsequent years.

Today, Deborah Gunning, who addressed the education committee, accused the SNP of “selling out” the children who go to Bellfield.

She said, “Disappointed is not the word. I am disgusted. I have grown to have low expectations of Dundee City Council, but last night the SNP put themselves on a level with the administration.

“I hope the SNP find that whatever deal they made was worthwhile.

“What they have done is close the best nursery in Dundee.”

Bernice Halliday, whose four-year-old son Michael is at Bellfield, was outraged.

“All of the parents are disgusted at the decision, there is a lot of anger,” she said.

“It is an absolutely ridiculous decision. I went to this nursery and it is a central part of this community.

“I made friends for life while I was there, but now Michael is going to have to move to Park Place.

“It is hard to get a child settled in a nursery and once they have settled I think it is unforgivable to make them move.”

Other parents are equally frustrated their children will never be able to attend Bellfield.

Margaret Reilly was disappointed her youngest child, Samantha, would now not be able to follow in the footsteps of her three older siblings.

“Samantha should have started next year, but she won’t be able to now,” she said.

“Her brother Steven is there now and I had two older children attend previously. They are at Harris Academy now and did really well from the base of going to this nursery. They got a great start in life here.”

Mrs Reilly said it was a “dreadful” decision, adding, “The parents haven’t been listened to at all.”

Karen Marr, mum of three-year-old pupil Neave accused the council of ignoring parents’ pleas that the nursery was a vital community resource.

“It was a foregone conclusion,” she said.

“There is a need for this nursery in the area. This is a sought after area, but now we are left without the nursery our children need.”

West End Community Councillor Sheila Roy also attended last night’s meeting.

She said she was bitterly disappointed at the way the whole business had been handled by the education committee.

She said, “The decision should have gone to a vote.

“The democratic process has failed.

“Children and staff are very upset about the decision and the parents of the West End put up a wonderful and dignified fight to save the nursery and were backed all the way by West End Community Council.”