VITAL talks over the future of children’s centres in Huddersfield have less than a month to run.
Kirklees Council wants to downgrade several of the centres in a bid to save money.
Now the consultation period for children’s centres and family support services in Kirklees has entered its final month.
The consultation began in November and is open until Friday, January 20 2012.
But there have already been concerns about plans to have some centres as “lead” centres and link those with others which have fewer services available.
Views are being given on paper, online and via face-to-face methods.
A series of information sessions is being held, giving people an opportunity to speak with staff about the proposals and help to complete the booklet if they need it.
But objectors have said many of those last only an hour, giving the public too little time to take part. People in Denby Dale were particularly concerned about the lack of more meetings.
A council spokesman said: “Unlike other local authorities, Kirklees Council does not plan to close any children’s centres.
“There are 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.”
Clr Cath Harris, Cabinet member for Children and Families, said: “We are consulting on the broader principle – a model for the way we provide services in future – and no decisions have been made at this stage.
“We want to hear what local people think. For example, the proposal includes a list of the centres which may be lead and may be associate, but this is very much up for debate.
“The council cannot retain every service in every children’s centre, but we have a strong emphasis on the services we provide, rather than the buildings from which we offer them, and our aim is to focus on the most vulnerable children and families”.
