Schools to run children's centres as council bids to prevent closures

Derby City Council has said seven of the 17 children's centres in the city are at risk of closure as part of efforts to make savings of £300,000.

A report on the plans reveals that the local authority is in discussions with local schools about keeping the children's centres running.

"The seven centres contained in the report have been identified because they are centres built in later phases of the children's centre programme, and so are in less-deprived areas of the city than the 10 centres it is proposed remain open," the report states.

"In addition, all of the seven centres are on or near schools sites, and it is proposed that schools take over the ownership, management responsibility and all running costs of the seven centres. There is appetite from head teachers in all seven areas to this proposal."

The council said there is no intention to reduce the delivery of children's centre services but they would be provided from a reduced number of main centres and other community venues.

Derby Council has already made £116m of savings between 2010 and 2015, but needs to make a further £50m between 2016 and 2019.

The authority's children's centre budget has already taken a 67 per cent reduction over the past three years which has resulted in a reduction in opening hours at half of the centres, the tendering out or closure of childcare delivered by the local authority in the centres, and a reduction in evidence-based parenting programmes delivered to families.

A study published last month by 4Children last month revealed that nearly two thirds of children's centres in England have had their budget cut this year and 130 are at risk of closure.