Council representatives told a committee of MPs and peers last week that they had no intention of closing the centres but confirmed that they would be withdrawing from providing full daycare provision, because there is sufficient market capacity to provide it. The centres will be 're-purposed as community assets', said the council.
But Sharon Hodgson MP, shadow children's minister, said, 'What you are describing is a community centre, not a children's centre.'
The council is faced with having to cut £22m from its budget of £29m for early years provision and is having a three-month consultation on the plans.
Mike Livingstone, director of children's services, said that whereas they currently serve around 25 per cent of under-fives, the change of focus to outreach, working with midwives, health visitors and GPs, will enable them to reach 85 per cent of children in this age group.
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