COUNCIL chiefs have issued a final appeal for people to have their say on the future of children’s centres.

The consultation for children’s centres and family support services in Kirklees has entered its final week.

The consultation closes next Friday, January 20, following a nine-week period in which local people have been invited to have their say.

Kirklees Council insists they have no plans to close any of the centres, despite budget pressures.

They have 32 centres and the proposal is to redesign the system into lead centres and associate centres, with the lead centres in areas of higher deprivation and with a higher proportion of families in need of support.

Lead centres would continue offering the full range of services, with associate centres offering services which are fewer in number but are also tailored to localised need.

But there have been complaints that some of the proposed links would cause great difficulties for travel and transport, and many have argued that they would be unworkable.

A council spokesman insisted that no final decisions have yet been made.

He said the lists were compiled using up-to-date, detailed information which gave an accurate picture of the various issues across Kirklees, identifying areas where resources could be focused to have the biggest impact. However, the lists are very much subject to change as a result of the consultation.

Booklets are available at community venues across Kirklees, including all children’s centres, and the online consultation pages can be found at: www.kirklees.gov.uk/familysupportconsultation