Lambeth Town Hall have revealed their closure plans of five Children’s Centre’s which could potentially cause the loss of 30 jobs. The children center Staff and families have expressed their frustration about the Lambeth council restructure plans for the Children’s Centre’s which is due to the decline of their funding by £1.4 million a year due to government cuts. While the staff are concerned that the cuts will deprive them from providing good levels of care needed for families within the community, the Lambeth Town Hall have announced that the trade unions; UNISON and GMB are currently calling on the council to ‘Halt the restructure and wait patiently‘ as there may be an election and a new government who could restore the significant funding to the local authorities.
Lambeth Council have informed the public that the children’s Centre’s that will no longer be funded are Lark Hall in Smedley Street, Weir Link in Weir Road, Heathbrook in Rule Street, Coin Street in Stamford Street and either Woodmansterne in Stockport Road or Sunnyhill in Sunnyhill Road.
According to Lambeth Council Spokesman Jeremy Rakaw: ‘Unfortunately there’s just too many people for the amount of jobs and just not enough money to deliver a service’.
A Lambeth council spokesman Simon Phillips said: ‘The government changes to the Dedicated Schools Grant now means that the Lambeth council, as well as many others, has not got enough money to maintain their consistent and successful support to the community’.
Emma Collins, Lambeth UNISON member, said: ’Lambeth Council are very much aware of an upcoming general election which could completely change Lambeth’s current restructure plans and money distribution. She also stated: ‘Cutting the Children Centre’s is putting many children’s lives at risk, depriving them from a safe and caring environment which will undoubtedly negatively impact their transition into their teenage and adult stages in life’.