By local democracy reporter Don Mort
Chlidren’s centre staff could be facing an uncertain future after cash-strapped Leeds City Council launched cost-saving plans.
Council bosses said no decisions had yet been made over job cuts or closures after they began a review of 56 centres in the city.
Children’s centres currently operated by schools could be brought under council control.
In West Leeds this means children’s centres in Pudsey, Farsley, Swinnow, Bramley face an uncertain future.
Leeds City Council, which must save £106m in the next financial year, said it must urgently cut costs.
A briefing note sent to centre managers said: “We recognise this review will lead to uncertainty for staff. There is a need to make savings of £2.45m during this year and next year.”
The council said schools and academies currently received council funding to run children’s centres. In future, staff at the school-led centres could be directly employed by the council.
Centre managers and staff unions were being consulted as part of the review.
The note said: “There is a need to review the whole children’s centre service to ensure that it is providing the right service in the right place to those families who are experiencing the greatest challenges.”
The council said 21 of the children’s centres were home to council-run Little Owls nurseries.
Last year, a review of the Little Owls service saw three nurseries – in Chapel Allerton, Seacroft and Gipton – close, with children found alternative places.
Most of the council’s 56 children’s centres were set up as part of the government’s Sure Start programme between 2006 and 2008.
A council spokesperson said: “Currently, some children’s centre services are delivered directly by the council, while others are provided by schools funded by the council.
“As part of the review, initial discussions are considering whether services delivered by schools could instead be managed directly by the council.”
A council report said a previous children’s centres review failed to bring the expected savings.
The current review would make further savings of £1m in 2025/26, “giving rise to a total level of saving over the period 2023/24 to 2025/26 of £2.45m.”
The spokesperson said: “At this stage, no decisions have been made regarding the closure of any children’s centres or potential redundancies.”
Background
The local authority is proposing a raft of cuts as it faces an unprecedented strain on its finances.
Job losses, service cuts, building closures – such as the closure of Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall – and a council tax rise of almost five per cent are also being considered by the authority.
Figures show the council needs to save around £106m during 2025/26 to avoid having it declare itself bankrupt.
The council faces rising costs in services including adult social care, while central Government has underfunded local authorities across the country over the past 15 years
WLD is following ongoing council cuts, closures, building sales and reaction in our Cutswatch series of articles.
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