OVER 300 people have given their views in the consultation over proposed changes and closures to Somerset’s SureStart children’s centres, and the county council is encouraging more to do so.

The consultation ends on December 1 and, under the proposals in West Somerset, Alcombe Children’s Centre in Minehead and Little Vikings Children’s Centre in Watchet would no longer be SureStart children’s centres, while Williton would become a family centre.

Cllr Frances Nicholson, cabinet member for children and families, said: “A good number of people have responded through the consultation, but I know there will be many more with an interest who haven’t yet done so.

“It’s important that we hear from as many people as possible before any decisions are made and I would urge everyone with a view to share it with us before the end of the consultation.

“These proposals are about getting support to the people who need it most as quickly as possible and would have no impact on the nurseries that are an integral part of the some of the centres at the moment.”

Under the proposals, 24 SureStart children’s centres in the county currently would become a network of eight family centres, as part of joining up a number of services for children aged 0 to 19.

The aim is for more support in community venues, in people’s homes and online, with the family centres acting as main ‘hubs’ for services and co-ordinating the work in surrounding areas.

West Somerset Labour, which has been campaigning against the closures and organised a protest with parents, carers and children outside Alcombe Children’s Centre, this week welcomed the call from Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, as reported in last week’s Free Press, that the centre should stay open and West Somerset should not lose any more of its amenities.

Kathrine See, secretary of West Somerset Labour, said: “It was refreshing to hear Mr Liddell-Grainger recognising the levels of rural deprivation caused by his own government’s punitive cuts.

“I look forward to meeting with him and hope that he will be true to his word and stand up for the people of West Somerset by openly challenging the Conservative council about their proposals.”

Ms See, who will be addressing the county council’s scrutiny committee again this month to challenge them on their plans, urged Mr Liddell-Grainger to join her and said Labour had called for an urgent meeting with him to discuss how he could assist their campaign.

The Labour Party has also accused the council of having a hidden privatisation agenda after it emerged it had already held a “soft market testing event” for external service providers, and stated a date in 2019 by which privatised services should be in place.

Details of the county council’s proposals, further information and a questionnaire are online at somerset.gov.uk/familysupportandchildrenscentres and in children’s centres.