Retford: Day centres facing closure in County Council budget cuts but children’s centres could escape the axe

Two Retford day centres are facing closure under the new budget proposals outlined by Notts County Council.
Notts County Council has to make savings of £154 million over three yearsNotts County Council has to make savings of £154 million over three years
Notts County Council has to make savings of £154 million over three years

The centres at Grove Street and Lawn View are both earmarked for closure as part of the council’s plans to make £154 million of savings over the next three years, due to cuts in Government grants and funding.

But the ruling Labour group on the council says fears that children’s centres across Bassetlaw are also facing closure could be premature.

The council will present its budget at a meeting of the full council on Thursday, 27th February.

And ahead of that meeting, a spokesman confirmed that the proposal remained for Grove Street and Lawn View day services to close.

However, the spokesman added that nothing would be confirmed until after the meeting and if it was decided then that the centres should remain open, then there was a chance they could be reprieved.

On children’s day centres, the council has proposed to bring all centres in the county into a county-wide cluster model in order to best deliver services economically.

The is has led to fears from parents and other service users that this will lead to centres across Bassetlaw being closed.

But Justine Gibling, group manager of Early Years and Early Intervention at the council, said: “We are committed to our children’s centres, the wonderful work they do and the vital support they provide to young families across the county.”

“The potential clustering of some of our children’s centres is only an outline proposal at this stage, we have to await what decision is made at full council this week to determine if and how to progress.”

“Even then, nothing would happen without full and detailed consultation with key partners, communities, and parents in the first instance.”

The Conservatives say their budget proposals would enable all day centres facing closure, and all children’s centres across the county, to remain open.