Children’s centres are under threat as £3.8m cuts needed
Two in Hinckley and ones in Barwell and Desford threatened
CHILDREN’S centres in the Hinckley area are under threat amid plans to cut costs by combining four different services.
Leicestershire County Council has announced the plans to save £3.8 million from its £12.4 million Early Help Services Budget.
Children’s Centre buildings which could be closed in the Hinckley area are Bagworth Children’s Centre, Hinckley Westfield Children’s Centre, Hinckley West Children’s Centre, Barwell Children’s Centre and Desford Children’s Centre.
The possible closures are part of a county wide consultation to begin later this month about closing 25 of the 40 buildings housing children’s centres and family centres. The remaining 15 buildings would become hubs or smaller support buildings.
They would be home not just to children’s centre services but to three other services which are youth offending services, troubled families scheme services and early help information.
Council bosses say if the plans go ahead their preferred location for a hub in Hinckley would be Hinckley East Children’s Centre in Granville Road, Hinckley.
The children’s centre in Earl Shilton is the council’s preferred location to become one of the smaller support buildings.
County Hall has acknowl- edged some families would have to travel much further to access services if the changes go ahead.
The council has also warned closing the children’s centres could lead to it having to repay £5.8 million of grants provided by the Government to open them.
From 2019/20 Government support of £2.3 million will end for the troubled family scheme which sees officials helping some 880 of the most troubled families in the county - those that are affected by joblessness, anti-social behaviour, drugs, truancy, alcoholism or teenage pregnancy.
Officials estimate some of these 290 families will lose their support through the cuts.
Liberal Democrat group opposition spokesman for children and families councillor Geoff Welsh said: “As always, these decisions are being driven by government cuts to council budgets.
“Is the government aware of the effects that their spending decisions will have on outcomes for vulnerable children?
“We question whether the council is doing enough to make the current government aware of the consequences of its decisions will have on Leicestershire’s children.”
Labour group spokesman Sean Sheahan said children’s centres were highly valued in the support they offer vulnerable families.
He said: “The council’s approach carries a risk of creating a muddled patchwork of services burdened with sharp inequalities and laced with hidden costs.”
Conservative cabinet member for children and young people councillor Ivan Ould said the council would continue to lobby Whitehall for more Troubled Families cash.
However he added: “The concept of a single wellbeing service should get unanimous support.
“This is an excellent development.”
The consultation, giving the public a say, will begin later this month.