CAMPAIGNERS are preparing to make another attempt to convince Wiltshire Council to not close Westbury’s children’s centre.
Parents and children who use the service will protest outside County Hall in Trowbridge next week on Tuesday 30th April before Wiltshire Council cabinet members meet to make a decision on the centre’s future. The group will also present the council with a petition, signed by hundreds of people against the proposed closure.
Wiltshire Council has proposed closing six children’s centres across the county, including the White Horse Children’s Centre, located on Eden Vale Road, which provides care services for children. The council has said that they are looking to remove ‘underused buildings’ due to a reduction in funding for family services.
Following a consultation, Wiltshire Council’s Children’s Select Committee published a report last month recommending that the proposal to close the centres goes ahead. If the proposals are agreed by Wiltshire Council’s cabinet next week, the closures will take place from 1st July.
Founder of the group, Nadine Crook, who lives in Warminster but started coming to the White Horse Centre when her local children’s centre closed, told White Horse News, “We want as many parents and children as possible to come to the meeting next week. We need Wiltshire Council to realise how important this centre is to the community. This is our chance to have our say on the future of our children’s centre.
“The meeting starts at 9:30am but we need to go to reception to register by 9:15am at the latest. So please come to County Hall by 9am- 9:10am if you can.”
The campaign has received wide-spread support, including the backing of Westbury Town Council who last week described the consultation as ‘flawed’.
The town council has also supported a report by Nadine submitted to Wiltshire Council challenging the justifications made by the Children’s Select Committee to close the centres. One reason given in the Children’s Select Committee report that has attracted criticism is, “The centres that would be de-commissioned are in the less deprived areas and have very little service delivery taking place in the buildings.”
In response, Nadine said, “This is incorrect. Three of the six proposed closures, including the White Horse Children’s Centre, are within the 12 most deprived areas in Wiltshire. The White Horse Children’s Centre offers an opportunity to support a high number of families in need due to its location within one of Wiltshire’s larger towns.”
The petition to save the White Horse Children’s Centre can be found at: tinyurl.com/ y38b3j6v. For more information about the campaign, visit the ‘Save Our Childrens Centres – Westbury’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ SOCCWestbury/
