Council faces calls to 'reconsider' closing 18 children's centres in Leeds
Council leaders could be asked to re-consider their decision to close 18 children’s centres in Leeds.
Opposition councillors have launched a formal challenge to a reduction in the number of centres to save Leeds City Council £2.45m.
The council’s executive board decided to press ahead with a re-organisation of family services at a recent meeting.
The council, which must save more than £100m this financial year, said some centres were underused because of a falling birth rate.
Leeds would still have 31 children’s centres, more than other comparable cities, the council said.
But concerns were raised over the evidence used to justify the closure plan.
Last week the YEP reported that campaigners had criticised the move, describing it as a “further blow” to the city’s early years provision.
Now a “call-in” of the decision will be debated by the council’s children and families Scrutiny Board on November 4.
Led by councillor Mark Dobson, of Garforth and Swillington Independents, the call-in request said: “If consultations are to serve any purpose, it must be to inform the decision makers. This has not happened on this occasion.”
The councillors said the consultation and professional advice put to executive board was “inadequate”.
It was not clear how alternative provision would be found, or how the cost savings would be achieved, they said.
Their request said: “The clarity of the aims and desired outcomes remains unclear.”
The children’s centres review included plans to de-register six centres not currently in use, and provide more online services.
The council has said the shake-up was based on a detailed assessment of families’ needs.
At the scrutiny meeting, councillors could decide to refer the closure decision for re-consideration, or release it for implementation.
A report to the meeting said: “The call-in process provides the facility for the Scrutiny Board to require a decision taker to reconsider a decision within a specified period.”