Many authorities were upset by tight timescales for providinginformation about their phase two children's centres to the Departmentfor Education and Skills (Children Now, 3-16 August).
The DfES wants all councils to submit basic plans for phase two centresby November and detailed plans for all centres by February next year.The deadlines have provoked alarm among local authorities with onesenior early years manager describing the targets as "barmy".
Councils say there simply isn't time to do the consultation andpartnership work needed to develop detailed plans on all the centres injust six months.
Harriet Hill, head of early years and childcare at Essex County Council,which has to create 53 children's centres, said the authority wasconsidering appealing to the DfES.
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