A number of constituents have contacted me about Warwickshire County Council’s plans for children’s centres. I shared their concern when I read that the plan was for all the centres in my constituency to be closed. The services provided by these centres are vital, and they must be readily accessible to those who need them. Kenilworth and Southam is a largely rural constituency; some parents rely on public transport to get around, and for them it may not be feasible to travel Warwick or Leamington Spa, where the nearest Family Hub would be.
When these plans were put up for consultation many made submissions, including me. I made the case as strongly as I could that some centres, in particular Kenilworth, Southam and Lighthorne Heath, should remain open. I also expressed the hope that a little creative thinking could be applied to this problem, to find a way to provide services whilst also reducing costs, for example by sharing facilities with other services.
I was therefore extremely glad to learn that the County Council had listened to our views and agreed at their Cabinet meeting last week to an amended proposal. The Lighthorne Heath centre will remain open, as will Southam and Kenilworth (St Johns) until at least 2019, while the Council explores ways to maintain essential services there. An outreach programme will supplement these services at other sites like Wellesbourne and Kenilworth (Bertie Road), the latter of which will be transferred to the Kenilworth Nursery School.
All levels of government work hard to balance two important duties to taxpayers; to provide the best possible public services, whilst also ensuring that the cost is as effective as possible. The core aim of these proposals is to ensure that the right services are provided to the right people at the right time and in the right places. These important issues take more nuanced thinking than just calling for more money and more of the same. Warwickshire County Council have done the right thing by listening to the views and needs of local residents, and I look forward to final proposals which offer a fair and effective way to provide children and family services in our area.