A ROW has erupted over a lack of consultation to cut services at Sure Start centres across Kirklees.

Union chiefs at Unison claim it means parents are being prevented from trying to protect services at the children’s centres.

Unison has criticised the Kirklees Council consultation on cuts to more than half of the Sure Start centres in the district.

Officials want to reduce services at 17 of the 32 children’s centres to save £1.5m in the next two years.

But the consultation – run by private company QA Research – does not ask participants if they wish to keep full services at every Sure Start.

Kirklees launched the nine-week consultation on the proposed changes in November.

The nine-page document drawn up by QA Research explains the council’s proposals before asking how strongly the consultee supports aspects of the plan.

Unison lead steward Graham Paisley has condemned the process as “an expensive sham.”

He added: “We believe the questionnaires issued by the council are framed in such a way that the council will get replies which suit its purpose of cutting universal services and mothballing 17 children’s centres.

“The questionnaires don’t ask if you want to end universal provision.

“If you’ve already made up your mind and you’re only asking questions to get the answers you want then the consultation is a waste of time.”

Mr Paisley criticised the council for using the York-based company.

“We have people in the council who specialise in doing reviews of service,” he said.

“They could have been used rather than paying someone else to do it.”

QA Research could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The Examiner asked Kirklees Council how much the consultation would cost.

A council spokesman replied: “The maximum cost of their work will be £24,000 which is only marginally higher than the approximate £20,000 it would have cost in-house.

“QA Research was selected after a tendering process. They offered value for money and also have specialist expertise and experience having worked on children and young people consultations with other councils.

“Using a specialist outside company meant we could start the consultation earlier and speed up the whole review process,.