Borough Councillors Complain About Surrey’s Mass Cutback Of Children’s Centres

Published on: 3 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 7 Oct, 2019

Boxgrove Children’s Centre before it closed.

by Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Borough councillors are upset at Surrey County Council over “lack of communication” about the closure of children’s centres in their areas. Dozens of centres across Surrey are closing this month.

GBC Cllr George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham), who has spoken out on the issue before, told The Dragon today (October 3): “Boxgrove was a central hub for so many families in the local area and its absence is definitely being felt.

Cllr George Potter

“The staff did incredible work and I know that for many parents the centre was a lifeline, not just because of the advice and help offered, but particularly because it was close by, easily accessible and gave them a way to get to know other local parents and create friendship groups who could support each other.

“But now parents have to either drive to one of the hubs or take a long bus journey, which just isn’t an option for many on low incomes or with disabilities, and the social element has been lost completely.

“The new model of staff going out to visit families in need of help invariably means many struggling parents will fall through the cracks or come to the attention of children’s services only when they’re in crisis, whereas before early intervention at a children’s centre could have prevented a crisis.

“Keeping Boxgrove open would have cost only £40,000 a year but unfortunately SCC seems more interested in spending money on outsourcing the remaining children’s services to external providers.”

In January, cabinet members agreed restructuring of 58 children’s centres to be replaced by 21 Family Centre models, and this was passed by the council in February. Thousands have signed petitions protesting at the cuts

The final total has since dropped to 20, supported by nine extra satellite centres and outreach work, after merging two Surrey Heath centres, at The Orchard and Pine Ridge in Camberley. They are now at The Old Dean Youth Centre, with outreach work at other community venues.

Concerns about the closures were raised at Waverley Borough Council and Surrey County Council Local Committee on September 27.

The budget for family support services in Waverley has been cut by nearly half and staff have been made redundant.

But councillors said they learned details of the closures only from staff losing their jobs, not from the county council as they had requested.

Waverley deputy leader Cllr Paul Follows and Cllr Anne-Marie Rosoman (both Lib Dem, Godalming Central and Ockford) asked for assurances they would be kept more informed of the decisions and changes of Early Help services.

Cllr Follows told the meeting: “There is a little bit of frustration because many of us did request to be kept more fully updated on this matter as borough councillors. I have grave concern about the cuts.”

He said he had been kept more up to date by staff made redundant at Haslemere Children’s Centret and called for Cllr Mary Lewis, SCC cabinet member for children, young people and families, to explain the changes.

And Cllr Nikki Barton (SCC, Ind, Haslemere), said: “I’ve been really appalled by the lack of consultation and I haven’t been kept up to date at all.”

She said she was not able to support staff who lost their jobs because she was not aware it was happening and that was “really depressing”.

A tabled response to Cllr Follows said funding for the new Family Centre model is based on a new formula to establish the amount of resources for each borough and district.

Countywide there was a 35% reduction to the budget. For Waverley this resulted in an overall budget cut of 51%. Officers said it was because Waverley previously had higher levels of funding compared to other areas of Surrey.

The response from Nigel Denning, lead, Early Help Transformation, said Waverley council had “declined the opportunity to deliver the new Family Centres” so this went out to tender with Barnardo’s awarded the contract. The charity is also running the service in Surrey Heath.

An SCC spokesman said: “The new Family Centres will act as bases for outreach workers to deliver support to families who need it most and closer to home.

“Plans for new Family Centres and service provision have been published on the county council Family Information website and we’ve been engaging with parents throughout this process.”

The total savings target from the children’s services restructure to the Family Resilience model is £63 million.

About 330 staff have left children’s services through voluntary redundancy or through the selection process.

The new Family Centre model delivers services for children from birth to 11 years. One mobile unit has been retained.

Six districts and boroughs identified lead providers to deliver the service, except for Stanwell in Spelthorne.

Tandridge District Council and Woking Borough Council have chosen to run the centres themselves, operational by mid-November.

The new contracts for Waverley, Surrey Heath, Elmbridge and the Stanwell area of Spelthorne will start on January 14, 2020 and run until March 31, 2022.

Family Centres in Guildford and neighbouring boroughs and district – open and closed

Surrey Heath

Lead provider – Barnardo’s at Old Dean Young People and Family, Centre Camberley.

Closing: The Orchard Sure Start Children’s Centre (October ); Pine Ridge Children’s Centre (reduced service from September 1); Bagshot Infant School and Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Mytchett Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Chobham, Bisley and West End Sure Start Children’s Centre (July).

Woking

Lead provider – Woking Borough Council and partnership at Sythwood Primary School and Sheerwater Community Centre.

Closing: Horsell Village Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Pyrford and Byfleet Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); St John’s Knaphill Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Brookwood and Pirbright Children’s Centre (June).

Waverley

Lead provider – Barnardo’s at Hale Primary School in Upper Hale and Loseley Fields Family Centre at Green Lane, Farncombe.

Closing: Christopher Robin Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Elstead and Villages Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Potters Gate Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Tennyson’s Sure Start Children’s Centre (October); Wharf Nursery School and Sure Start Children’s Centre (October).

Guildford

Lead provider – Guildford Nursery School at Spinney Family Centre in Grove Primary School and Guildford Nursery School.

Satellite sites – Ash Family Centre at Ash Grange Primary School.

Closing: Boxgrove Sure Start Children’s Centre (July); St Paul’s CofE Infant and Sure Start Children’s Centre (July).

Mole Valley

Lead provider – Dorking Nursery School at Mole Valley Family Centre at Goodwyns, Dorking Nursery School

Closing: Leatherhead Trinity Children’s Centre (June – except for health visitor led clinics).