'We wont stop fighting for our families' says Kent children's centre

A children's centre from Kent that faces funding cuts has exclusively told us it 'won's stop fighting' for it's families.

Last month, Kent County Council decided to decommission it's services with Seashells in Sheerness and Milmeads in Margate.

However, the decision was later postponed and is expected to be voted on by all councillors next month.

And speaking for the first time since, Ian Townsend Blazier from Seashells said: "It's obviously been challenging, it's like one of those nightmares because you just know that whatever they are going to try and deliver will not be the same, it won't possibly be the same.

"And it makes no sense so I'm a bit dumfounded, heartbroken and gutted for the local families because there is an extra four million pound being provided by the central government to support the development of family hubs.

"Therefore, why take away the funding from the two flagship centres that the KCC refer to all the time and that helped the develop the private programme. It doesn't make any sense any more for us so it's frustrating.

On what Seashells will try to do between now and the full council vote, he said: "We will keep providing the data and evidence to support the decision that seashells should stay open and that the contract should be awarded to us.

"We want to be able to keep delivering for our families, who are passionate about us staying open and we will do everything we can to keep Seashells here."

A spokesperson for Kent County Council (KCC) said: “The decision to end commissioned services with with Millmead and Seashells Family Hubs when the contracts complete on 31 March 2025 was called in and debated at Scrutiny on 29 January where it was agreed that the decision be postponed for further discussion at Full Council (date tbc).”