The closure of 18 children’s centres is set to go ahead after a failed bid to have the decision re-considered.

Opposition councillors challenged a plan to reduce the number of Leeds City Council-run centres to 31 under plans to save £2.45m.

The Labour-run authority pointed out that Leeds would still have more children’s centres than cities of a similar size. But questions were raised over the evidence used to justify the closures, set out in a report to the council’s executive board in October.

Councillor Mark Dobson, of Garforth and Swillington Independents, led a “call-in” of the closure decision which could have seen it referred for re-consideration. He claimed there were flaws in the consultation process and it was not clear how the cost savings would be achieved. Coun Dobson told a scrutiny board meeting:

“I also believe we are under-estimating the use of the centres.”

Helen Hayden, Labour’s executive member for children and families, said family services would be retained in more suitable locations. Cllr Hayden said:

“Our children’s centre offer matters deeply to families across Leeds. The consultation was robust, thorough and objective.”

Council leaders said some of the centres were underused because of a falling birth rate. Coun Hayden said:

“Savings will come from reduced duplication, management and overheads, not from cutting support available to families.”

Leeds City Council must save more than £100m this financial year and was forecasting an overspend of almost £30m in its last financial report.

As part of the shake-up, the remaining 31 children centres would be organised into seven groups, aligned with the council’s Family Hubs around the city. Six centres not currently in use will be de-registered and more services will be provided online.

After a debate by the council’s Children and Families scrutiny board, Coun Dobson said he still believed the closures were “pointless”. He said:

“All I would ask colleagues to consider is where are the actual savings?”

In a majority vote, board members released the closure decision for implementation at Tuesday’s Civic Hall meeting.

The centres set to close are: Cottingley, Farnley, Gildersome, Ardsley/Tingley, Villages East, Castleton, Quarry Mount, Burley Park, Headingley, Pudsey, Farsley and Calverley, Parklands, Garforth, Boston Spa, Alwoodley, Roundhay, Chapel Allerton, Manor Wood.

 

This post was written by Dom Mort, Local Democracy Reporter

 

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