Reassurance given over Sure Start fears

FEARS that Oldham’s Sure Start Children’s Centres could be under threat have been calmed by a leading local politician.

The reassurance follows news that sweeping Government cutbacks are due to hit hundreds of Sure Start centres across the nation.

Some local authorities are reporting closures and budget cuts which means they must scale back their services.

A report released last week from the families charity 4Children and the Daycare Trust, suggest 250 Sure Start Children’s Centres in the UK are expected to close, 2,000 will provide a reduced service, and 3,100 will have a smaller budget.

And staff at 1,000 centres have been warned of the threat of redundancy, according to the report, written from a survey of almost 1,000 centre managers across England.

Councillor Jack Hulme, Oldham Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “We can assure residents that we are committed to keeping the borough’s existing Sure Start Children’s Centres open. We have no plans to close any of them.

“Over the next 12 months, we are looking at reconfiguring the services we provide in our centres, and making them more accessible to all families and groups in our communities. Giving our youngsters the best start in life is a priority for the council.”