Released by the early years minister Caroline Dinenage following a parliamentary question from Labour MP Dan Jarvis, the figures show 64 centres closed last year. This is on top of the 313 that closed between 2010 and 2015.
In response to a separate parliamentary question posed by the Labour MP for Barnsley, the early years minister revealed that just eight children’s centres have opened since 2010.
As of 31 December 2016, there were 3,251 main children’s centres and ‘sites.’
A new House of Commons Library analysis also shows that spending on children’s centres in 2015-16 was 47 per cent less in real terms than in 2010 – the equivalent of over £600 million in cuts.
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