Express & Star

Dudley Council lines up cuts to children's centres in bid to save £1.4m

Cash-strapped Dudley Council is proposing a restructure that would see it no longer fund 15 of its 20 children's centres as it tries to cut £1.4 million from its family service budget.

Published

The centres offer families the chance to get involved with a host of activities and get access to information and support.

Five of the centres – Brierley Hill, Stourbridge, Coseley, Kates Hill and Lye – will remain with the local authority and convert to become family centres in the new restructure.

The remaining 15 will transfer to schools with a clear specification from the council that the centres must continue in the same way, saving the council £177,000.

How the Express & Star reported the council's u-turn over children's centre closure plans back in 2013

The move is part of their wider restructuring of the Family Solutions service which could save them a total of £1.4m.

In 2013, the council announced it would close seven centres, but following a wave of campaigning council bosses changed their decision and decided to keep them open.

As the struggle continued, in 2014 the council announced that 19 jobs at the centres were at risk and bosses cut the centres' hours and services.

Now, since the beginning of December, Tenterfields and Hob Green children's centres have been the first to transfer to their respective schools, and will be shortly followed by Colley Lane.

Councillor Paul Brothwood said: "This is a sad reflection on the state of central government and now local people are suffering. It's another pressure on local schools."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.