MP advice ignored by council chiefs
BELINDA RYAN AND STUART GREER
COUNCIL chiefs ignored the advice of one of their own MPs when it voted to close four of its facilities.
Conservative MP Fiona Bruce asked Cheshire East Council not to take any decision on the future of its children’s centres until the outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into children’s centres was known.
But the Tory-controlled council chose not to take the advice of its Sandbach MP and last month voted to ‘de-designate’ the children’s centres at Broken Cross in Macclesfield, Nantwich, Sandbach and Knutsford and replace them with mobile services.
Mrs Bruce said: “I have chaired a lengthy review of children’s centres over several months in Parliament. The inquiry report will be published shortly and I asked Cheshire East not to take a decision on our local children centres until after that, since I firmly believe that there is a future for children’s centres and, indeed, an augmented one.”
Macclesfield MP David Rutley backed his Tory colleague and urged the council to listen to Mrs Bruce’s ‘expert advice’.
He said: “It is important to continue to provide services like these which are valued by families. I understand the council is looking to do this in new innovative ways. I would encourage it to seek advice from Fiona Bruce in delivering these services as she has real expertise in this field.”
Pressure continues to mount on the council to re-think its decision and save the four centres it voted to close. Campaigners are taking advice about a possible a legal challenge.
A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: “We welcome the work that Fiona Bruce MP is driving forward as part of her all parliamentary lobbying group on children’s centres, but believe that the proposals for change in Cheshire East will support better outcomes for children.
“Change is always difficult but we remain clear that the recommendation voted upon was the right decision for the future of our borough and retains a clear focus on our most people so far.
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“We have 11 children’s centres which are working very well in our areas of most need, in addition to the four which are being de-designated and replaced with an alternative service model including mobile provision.
“Fiona Bruce’s ideas will be welcomed and considered as part of the ongoing work we are delivering in those areas of most need.” spoof bid to host the football World Cup in 2026 in reaction to Fifa’s current woes with corruption claims.
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