Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, Mike Le-Surf, slams the government as Essex County Council’s plans to cut services to children’s centres across the county.

Essex County Council is starting a consultation (17 October) on the future of children’s centre services across the county.

Mike Le-Surf said: “The Tories and Lib Dems should be ashamed of themselves. In spite of promises before the last general election that SureStart would be protected, the Conservative led government have lifted the ring-fence and therefore passed the decision for cuts down to local authorities. Due to Eric Pickles' massive cuts to local authority grants ECC needs to save over £215m by 2016-17 and admit they cannot deliver current services.”

“Austere times mean councils have difficult decision to make. ECC are proposing to cut £2.5m from the children’s centre budget between 2014 and 2016 which will have a direct effect on the people that need the most support. Is this really the right thing to do while the council sits on millions of pounds worth of assets and reserves? If the cuts are agreed, there will be an overall reduction of 11 premises countywide.”

“The consultation runs until the 5^th December and I encourage all residents to engage with the consultation to let the council know why children’s centres are a vital support for families in our communities.”