The Argus' Save Our Centres campaign victorious in stopping cuts to children's services

In December news emerged that Brighton and Hove City Council was looking to save £779,000 of money allocated to run children’s centres in the 2015/16 budget.

The full extent of the proposed cuts was made clear in Argus reports with groups, staff and advice services at risk and a handful of centres under threat of closure.

Four of the 12 children’s centres were under threat and services across the board faced cutbacks.

Funding for voluntary organisations the Early Years Project and the Brighton Unemployed Centre, library drop-in groups and Stay and Play groups, jobs and health visits could also be reduced.

Parents faced having to book to attend classes and may only have been allowed to attend for a limited number of weeks if they were not assessed as seriously in need of the groups.

The sheer volume of families concerned by the potential cuts drove The Argus to launch the Save Our Centres campaign which called on the council to rethink the plans.

Hundreds of parents responded to a council survey and some organised a protest to march on Hove Town Hall when the first council meeting to determine the budget took place on February 26.

It was not until March 3 after hours of gruelling council debate that members voted to stave off the cuts and shield children’s centres until at least 2016.

The news came one month and three days after we launched the campaign and printed scores of articles.

At the time Leah Webb, 37, of Refectory Road, Brighton, chairwoman of the Roundabout Children’s Centre advisory group, said: “If it wasn’t for The Argus campaign and the parents group on Facebook, many families would not have known the services were even at risk.”

Experts working with children’s centres praised the campaign and said the temporary reprieve gave time to look at other ways of funding the vital facilities.

Parents react to the campaign success

A MONTH ago we waited alongside parents with bated breath to see if councillors would choose to support our campaign and protect children’s centres across Brighton and Hove from cuts. FLORA THOMPSON catches up with families who have continued to use the services, safe in the knowledge they have been protected.

PARENTS were relieved vital services they branded a “lifeline” were safe from cuts.

Children now play with their friends, safe in the knowledge the centres and facilities are here to stay – for the time being.

Four-year-old Annabelle Woodward’s delight at the news was evident as she cheered outside the Roundabout Children’s Centre in Whitehawk.

She celebrated the news with her two-year-old brother Arthur.

Their mother Becca Graves – who volunteers at the centre and attends groups like Jump for Joy and relies on help from health visitors – said she would be lost without the children’s centre groups.

She said: “My children love the groups – they take part in crafts, painting, storytelling, singing, and all sorts of other activities.

“They are really popular and a great way to be educational and fun for the children.

“They make so many friends there and it is great to know they are learning at the same time.

“I meet other parents so I rely on the centre too.

“I’ve found the health visitors have been great – especially with my son who doesn’t eat very well.

“It is a huge relief the centres and services are safe for now – they are so important.

“I think our concerns got across to councillors a little bit but if they had been completely on board with us they would not have considered the cuts in the first place.”

The 25-year-old, of Maresfield Road in Whitehawk, said the thought of being faced with a similar situation next year was “worrying” and she hoped a plan is put in place to protect them for good before then.

She said: “It was really difficult this time – we could sign petitions, make a noise, and it was good our voices were heard but you did feel a bit helpless.

“It caused quite a worry among all of the parents – everyone was talking about it – and it doesn’t bear thinking about that this could happen again next year.”

While this centre was not one of four at risk of closure, it would have been affected by staff cuts and reduction of groups and services that it operates had the cutbacks gone ahead.

Sheila Bould also uses the centre and has travelled into Brighton once a week for five years to look after her grandchildren.

Each Wednesday the grandmother from Wivelsfield Green goes to groups with three-year-old Archie Hatton, who lives nearby with his five-year-old sister Lilly, who also used to attend when she was younger.

Mrs Bould said: “The centre has great facilities and equipment and the groups are fantastic.

“I started taking Lilly when she was a baby and as they have grown up I’ve moved through groups with them.

“The fact the groups are free and open to everyone is a big bonus. It has been a really positive experience.

“For me it helps to see modern ways of parenting and I could see how useful the centres were for parents – they had access to specialists and advice.”

Mrs Bould said the atmosphere had changed since parents learned centre cuts would not go ahead, adding: “It was very negative when people thought the centres and services may not be there.

“But now that everything has settled down a little bit everyone is extremely grateful.”