B&NES Council yesterday unanimously voted to receive a petition on Children’s Centres services which was signed by over 1000 local residents.
At the full Council meeting held at the Guildhall yesterday evening, a boost of £500,000 to the Council’s planned early years 0-11 services budget for 2014/15 onwards proposed by the Cabinet was supported.
During the heated debate, Conservatives argued that the scale of cuts currently planned by the Liberal Democrat-run Council would result in serious damage to the services provided by Children’s Centres, particularly in Midsomer Norton, Weston village, Odd Down, Peasedown, Paulton and the Chew Valley.
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Dine Romero (Liberal Democrat, Southdown) said: “What was clear from tonight’s meeting was that all Councillors are united in their support for the £500,000 that the Liberal Democrats are adding back into the Children’s Centres budget. I hope that Councillors from all parties will ratify this funding by supporting the Council budget next month.
“I was also glad to have to opportunity to reconfirm to parents in the local area that, under our budget proposals, no children’s centres will close. In the face of unprecedented funding reductions, the Councils who will be most successful in protecting children’s centres services are those, like us, who will find innovative ways of working with partners to fill the gap caused by central government cuts.
“We were glad to support the final ‘patchwork’ motion as it reiterates much of the work we are already doing. The early years, children and youth panel will have first sight of the emerging service models at its 27 January meeting.
“One element missing from the final composite motion was to highlight the commitment by the Liberal Democrat administration to a full public consultation.
“I am very grateful to all the signatories of the petition we have received this evening. I feel this has been a very useful debate.”
Conservative Shadow Spokesman for Early Years, Children and Youth, Councillor Michael Evans, said: “The Lib Dems have finally bowed to public pressure and recently announced that they will reduce the cut to Children’s Centres by £500,000. This is a welcome step, but still leaves Council’s Early Years services facing a reduction of £1.8 million, which is still a sizeable 30% cut.
“Residents will naturally remain concerned about the Council’s plans. But Conservatives have managed to secure further protection for the services provided by Children’s Centres to all local communities throughout the area. We also want to see the Council provide additional ‘pump priming’ funding in order to support voluntary groups and other organisations in taking on a greater role in the delivery of Early Years services.”
