Campaigners protest at proposed closure of Kent children's centre
They've attended a meeting of the county council
Campaigners who want to save family services at a much-loved children’s centre gathered at County Hall yesterday, ahead of a council debate on the issue.
Around 15 members of staff from Seashells centre in Sheerness attended the Kent County Council (KCC) meeting, having sparked the discussion with a petition of 6,100 signatures opposing the withdrawal of funding.
KCC claims the loss of Seashells and Millmead in Margate will help the authority, which must find savings of more than £100m in the coming years, shave around £425,000 off the budget.
Seashells family hub manager, Karen Townsend Blazier, made the case for the KCC reversing it decision.
Supporters say the loss of the services and alternatives at another site will not provide the same level of support in one of the most deprived areas of the south-east.
Cllr Mike Whiting argued KCC risked “shunting” issues to other departments at even greater cost to the taxpayer. He said the new “family hubs” model should be based on the standards set by Seashells.
Cllr Whiting claimed alternative services set up in The Gateway in Sheerness High Street, will be “totally unsuitable”, as it cannot cope with the numbers catered for by Seashells.
A motion put forward by Cllr Whiting asking for the decision to withdraw funding be put on hold was heavily defeated.
An alternative recommendation to note the strength of local opinion and take into account the financial implications of the loss of service was passed unanimously.
Local Sheppey councillor Andy Booth (Con) said it was regrettable that due to funding shortfalls “we are going to have to make some really deep cuts”.
Cabinet member for integrated children’s services at KCC, Cllr Sue Chandler (Lab), said the council had to work withing the restricted budgets available.
She told full council: “We have to keep within the budget for all children’s services. Sadly, much of the work we have to do revolves around those numbers and we have to deliver withing that budget.”
When the proposed funding withdrawal was announced, she said: “Following the introduction of our new Family Hub model across Kent last year, the management cost for these two commissioned services creates a duplication as KCC is also paying for the management of the in-house services on offer at KCC Family Hubs across the districts of Swale and Thanet.
“By not renewing these contracts when they naturally come to an end in March 2025, we can make a much-needed efficiency saving whilst continuing to provide essential services for families and young people in these areas.”
Retired members of the public services union Unite also staged a small demo outside County Hall to highlight concerns about cuts to the winter fuel allowance, loss of bus services in Kent, threatened library closures and job losses.
A statement said: “KCC is preparing a new round of brutal cuts to jobs and services across the county.
“We demand an end to austerity and for councillors to refuse to carry out cuts.”