POLITICIANS from both sides of the political divide are in agreement that West Somerset’s children’s centres must be saved.
Shadow Minister for Early Years Tracy Brabin backed West Somerset Labour’s campaign to stop the closures after its secretary Kathrine See visited her at Westminster on Monday to get her support.
Meanwhile, local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger demanded assurances that Alcombe Children’s Centre will be kept open and warning West Somerset cannot afford to lose any more amenities.
Somerset County Council is currently holding a public consultation over proposals that would see the current 24 Sure Start children’s centres in the county become a network of eight family centres, as part of joining up a number of services for children aged 0 to 19.
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Undercover saboteurs infiltrate all three West Somerset staghound packsThe proposals aim for more support in community venues, in people’s homes and online, and, in West Somerset, Alcombe Children’s Centre and Little Vikings Children’s Centre in Watchet would no longer be Sure Start children’s centres, while Williton Children’s Centre would become a family centre.
Last week, the West Somerset Labour party called the consultation a sham.
Ms Brabin, MP for Batley and Spen, said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Kathrine to discuss the potential closure of the children’s centres in West Somerset.
“It is of very serious concern to me that an area 324th on the social mobility index could lose these vital centres that support social mobility.
“Further, it appears that the local authority has questions to answer regarding contracts being advertised while the consultation is still ongoing. I will be keeping my eye on developments closely in the coming weeks,” she said.
Mr Liddell-Grainger said he was demanding assurances that the county council children’s centre in Alcombe will be kept open and warned that West Somerset cannot afford to lose any more amenities.
“It seems to be the case that whenever the county council needs to save money its eyes swivel automatically towards West Somerset as the place to make the first and deepest cuts,” he said.