Provision
One third of Hampshire's children's centres could close in cuts
The number of children's centres in Hampshire could be cut by a third under proposals being considered by the county council.
The local authority plans to cut the number of children's centres from 81 to 53, a move which it says would save £6m. Under the proposals, some centres would be merged and the management of all children's centres would be outsourced to third parties.
The proposals are among measures announced in the children's services budget for the next financial year.
A six-week consultation on the proposals started on Monday and will end on 14 March. The report blames funding cuts to the other areas of children's services, which it says means that greater savings need to be made from children's centres.
Around 338 full-time jobs in children's services across Hampshire will be lost. The bill for early retirement, voluntary and compulsory redundancy in children's services could be as high as £10m, including pension costs.
Councillor Roy Perry said, 'These are very challenging times for all public sector bodies, including Hampshire County Council. Children's services, in common with all other departments of the council, must ensure it makes the best use of its available resources. We continue to face a high demand for our services, but as a result of the Government grant reduction, we must seek to make savings of 8 per cent of our budget. This involves some difficult decisions, but we remain fully committed to ensuring those who are most vulnerable continue to receive support. The findings of Ofsted inspectors in December 2010 confirmed, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff, that we provide outstanding children's services to families in Hampshire. I want to reassure people that our focus will remain resolutely on continuing to provide safe, high-quality services.'
