Latest local authority spending figures show that children's centres funding is set to be slashed for a fourth consecutive year.
The data, an analysis of section 251 returns to the Department for Education, shows councils have earmarked £985.3m for children's centres and early years funding in 2014/15 - £413.2m less than the £1.39bn forecast for 2011/12.
Broken down, councils expect to spend £107.9m less than they did last year and £298m less than in 2012/13, with cuts in virtually all aspects of children's centres funding (see graphic).
Although the 2011/12 figure is not directly comparable to the most recent data - it includes a projection of how much local authorities expected to spend on providing free childcare for two-year-olds, while the succeeding years do not - it is clear there has been a marked reduction in children's centres budgets since a government ringfence was removed in April 2010.
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