Closure of 18 Leeds children's centres 'further blow' to city's early years provision

Leeds City Council chiefs approved the closure of 18 children’s centres and the sale of a further six non-operational centres at an executive board meeting last week, as part of plans to save £2.45 million.

The Labour-run council, which needs to save more than £100m this financial year, said some of the centres were underused because of a falling birth rate. It comes following the controversial closure and sale of many of the city’s Little Owls Nurseries over the past year

Iain Dalton, spokesperson for the Save Little Owls Nurseries campaign, has criticised the move, describing it as a “further blow” to the city’s early years provision.

“Losing the provision at 18 children's centres is a further blow to early years provision in Leeds, following the closure of 7 Little Owls nursery sites over the last 3 years and the imminent privatisation of two other sites, some of which were co-located with children's centres,” he said.

“This will make provision less accessible to parents, carers and their children, with further distances to be travelled to access in person services.

“Like with nursery provision, the Labour leadership of Leeds City Council should be working with families and the trade unions representing early years workers to demand the government provides it with the funding needed to preserve local services - rather than hiding behind other councils own devastating cuts to such services to justify theirs - and in the meantime use temporary funding measures such as reserves or borrowing to keep services open rather than loosing them forever.”

Children’s centres deliver services including social and educational groups for pregnant women and parents and carers of children under five, breastfeeding support and baby hubs, guidance around training and employment as well as welfare and financial advice.

The review includes plans to de-register six centres not currently in use, and provide more online services. Councillors said Leeds would still have more children’s centres than other cities of a similar size.

City Council said the shake-up was based on a detailed assessment of families’ needs, but this was rejected by Alan Lamb, leader of the city’s Conservative group, who asked Labour members not to proceed with the move.

He said: “Let’s call this what it is. It’s a cut in services to save money, dressed up as something else. I absolutely cannot support this today.

“Collectively we have got to get a grip on this situation and get the council’s finances onto an even keel.”

A council report said the needs of families had been prioritised, despite the funding shortfall. The review has identified opportunities to offer support from alternative community spaces in convenient locations across Leeds.

The plans includes combining the continuing face-to-face support with a new and improved digital offer for suitable services - such as recorded workshops and online booking. It aims to provide the opportunity for the authority to achieve efficiencies and financial savings of up to £2.45 million.

Here is a full breakdown of the children’s centres being retained, closed and sold.

Children’s centres at risk of closure

• South group one - Cottingley
• South group two - Farnley, Gildersome, Ardsley/Tingley, Villages East
• West group three - Castleton, Quarry Mount, Burley Park
• West group four - Headingley, Pudsey, Farsley/Calverley
• East group six - Parklands, Garforth
• East group seven - Boston Spa, Alwoodley, Roundhay, Chapel Allerton, Manor Wood

Children’s centres set to be de-registered

• South group one - City and Holbeck, Hunslet, Windmill
• South group two - Morley South
• West group three - Hollybush
• West group four - Kirkstall

Children’s centres set to be retained

• South group one - New Bewerley, Two Willows, Middleton
• South group two - Morley North, Rothwell, Lofthouse, Kippax.
• West group three - Armley Moor, Bramley, Little London.
• West group four - Horsforth, Ireland Wood, Swinnow, Hawksworth Wood, Aireborough, Otley
• East group five - Harehills, Gipton North and South, Richmond Hill, Osmondthorpe, Shakespeare
• East group six - Kentmere, Swarcliffe, Seacroft, Meadowfield Temple Newsam & Colton (MTC), Cross Gates and Manston,
• East group seven - Chapeltown, Moortown, Wetherby, Meanwood, Bankside.