More than half of Trafford's Children's Centres could close

Trafford Council (Greater Manchester), is proposing to close 10 of the borough’s 16 children’s centres, while turning the remaining six centres into ‘hubs’ and increasing outreach support for vulnerable families.

Under the plans, which are currently out for consultation until January, Davyhulme, Urmston, Firswood, Stretford, Broomwood and Timperley, Hale Barns, Hale and Bowden, Sale Moor, Sale Central and Ashton upon Mersey children’s centres would close.

In order to make savings of £34m by 2015, Trafford Council has to reduce its spending on Children and Young People’s Services by £4.9m next year.

Re-organising the city’s children’s centres is just one option being considered by the council, along with making changes to youth and complex and additional needs services.

Within its consultation document Trafford council claims that the ‘needs of children and young people have changed since the first children’s centres were set-up ten years ago.’

It goes on to say that, ‘It is now the right time to review what the children’s centres are delivering, but still recognising what is good about the functions of children’s centres and how we should build on these.’

A review of services such as midwifery, speech and language and Book Start are also expected to be carried out by the council next March.

Parents, carers and other individuals from across Trafford have launched a campaign to fight against the council’s proposals to close ten of its 16 children’s centres.

According to the Save Trafford Sure Start campaign group, which has received the support of Stretford and Urmston MP Kate Green and Wythenshawe and Sale East MP Paul Goggins, the council has gone back on its promise to keep all of its children’s centres open.