18 Leeds children's centres to be closed as part of council plans to save £2.45m
Eighteen children’s centres are set to close after councillors decided to press ahead with a shake-up of family services.
Leeds City Council proposed to reduce the number of centres it runs to 31 as part of plans to save £2.45m.
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.
Members of the executive board agreed to proceed with the planned re-organisation at a meeting on Wednesday.
Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, said it would make services more accessible and efficient.
She said: “It reflects the significant demographic change since the current network was established.”
Alan Lamb, leader of the city’s Conservative group, 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.”
The council said the shake-up was based on a detailed assessment of families’ needs.
But Councillor Lamb challenged the evidence used to justify closing the centres, which provide services including breast feeding support and employment advice.
He said: “The way you are doing it and going about it is all wrong and the evidence base is inaccurate.”
The children’s centres review includes plans to de-register six centres not currently in use, and provide more online services.
The council said Leeds would still have more children’s centres than other cities of a similar size.
The authority’s latest financial report shows the council is already facing an overspend of almost £30m this year.
Coun Lamb said: “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.
It said: “Leeds continues to have the largest number of children’s centres of any core city.”