Children's centres urged to start building
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The government is to accelerate the children's centres building programme, ahead of its 2010 target to have a children's centre in every community.
Last week, children's minister Beverley Hughes wrote to directors of children's services urging them to bring forward the opening date of children's centres wherever possible. The move is part of the government's attempt to kick-start the economy.
Debbie Jones, chair of the Association of Directors of Children's Services' resources and sustainability policy committee, said that local authorities would be keen to bring projects forward, as long as the process did not compromise quality.
But Clive Grimshaw, policy consultant at the Local Government Association, warned that the speed at which the government wants capital building projects to be completed is putting pressure on local authorities.
