READERS’ CHARTER
county, including the thriving centre in Victoria Drive, Bognor Regis.
To propose this at a time when these services will be even more crucial is not only short-sighted but also totally irresponsible.
Justifying it with the claim that ‘footfall is down’ is risible when the centre has been closed to the public during the pandemic, and before that, hours of operation had already been cut. We understand the problem is at a national level; the Conservative government has reduced funding to local councils by more than 40 per cent since 2010 and some cutbacks are now unavoidable.
However, parents and children have already been hard hit and isolated by the Covid crisis; instead of taking these vital services away, the council should look again to see what money can be raised from its assets, empty properties and land.
Instead of using cuts as a first response, the council should find other ways of balancing the books.
Use a bit of imagination, work smarter, and protect local people first by safeguarding Victoria Drive and other children’s centres.
Once they’re closed, they won’t come back and it will create far more problems for young children and their carers. Please think again!
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