Shaky future for Thame’s children’s centre

FOLLOWING a ray of hope for the future of Childrens Centres in the county after Tuesday’s marathon budget meeting by Oxfordshire County Council, it has become clear today that Thame’s Red Kite Centre and most of the others across the county remain under threat.

Although on Tuesday county councillors eventually negotiated that £2 million of savings relating to Early Intervention hubs and children’s centres would not now take place, a spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council asked Thame.net to clarify today that: “An original £6 million of saving on Early Intervention Hubs and Children’s Centres – agreed by the council at its annual budget meeting in February 2015 – will still take place.

“So, it is not correct to say that ‘Thame’s children’s centre is saved’, he added. (See LINK)

He added: “No decisions have been taken at this stage on how this £2 million will be spent.”

Public opposition

Despite a public consultation that illustrated a great deal of opposition, and public demonstrations by users and supporters of children’s centres, OCC is still planning to stop funding for most its children’s centres and seven ‘Early Intervention’ hubs, and replace them with eight ‘children and family centres’ run by a new service for young people up to 19 years-old.

The existing children’s centres are not expected to begin to close until October 2016, before which it is anticipated that local community groups and district councils may be able to find the resources to take them over.

Some help to reduce the impact

It has been reported today that Jim Leivers, OCC’s Children’s Services Director, has promised £1 million from Government ‘transitional’ funding to local councils to reduce the impact of the cuts.

Cuts to adult social care have been reduced from £21 million to £18 million, mainly affecting day centres for the elderly, whilst some of the ‘transition’ funding may be used to ‘ease the pain’ of cuts to bus subsidies and homeless services.

The council still needs to make £69 million in savings over the next four years, forced on it mainly my cuts to Government grants as part of ‘austerity’ measures.