AS A councillor, I am fully aware of how children’s centres are intertwined with family’s lives. They enable some working mothers to balance a working life which otherwise would be impossible and also to provide much vital services.
But as reported in the press recently the budget on February 17 looks certain to cut deeper than ever and adult social care is in harm’s way. It begs the question: are our 44 children’s centres still safe?
And one of my constituents asked just that. Because the activists and parents and my fellow Labour councillors fought so hard in 2013, we all thought children centres were safe. But the reality, and looking at the facts, see the millions having to be saved from children centres are to be deferred to a later date.
- County council leader Ian Hudspeth meets protesters against the closure of children’s homes in 2013
On February 17, £20 million extra has to be saved. If you care like I do about children’s centres it’s time to ask some frank questions to Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth, such as how safe are all 44 children centres and will the employees lose jobs in favour of volunteers?
This is why, personally, I fear the worst.
But I urge the parents and activists how fought so valiantly in 2013 to rise up and ask these questions of Mr Hudspeth and Melinda Tilley, cabinet member for children, education and families at OCC, now before budget day and most importantly of all before the General Election on May 7.
The power of democracy is in the people’s hands. Please use it or maybe lose if David Cameron’s Government has its way on children’s centres.
Mark Cherry
Oxfordshire county councillor for Banbury Calthorpe and Cherwell district councillor for Banbury Ruscote
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