Anne Snelgrove launches campaign with local parents against Swindon Tories’ plans to cut funding for Children’s Centres

Swindon Borough Council is proposing to end Children’s Centres as we know them – they’re turning the clock back 20 years to unqualified play groups. By cutting the funding for most children, they’re sounding the death knell for the excellent service we currently have in Swindon. 

Swindon Borough Council is proposing to end Children’s Centres as we know them – they’re turning the clock back 20 years to unqualified play groups. By cutting the funding for most children, they’re sounding the death knell for the excellent service we currently have in Swindon.

Many well qualified and experienced early years’ staff have already been made redundant. In their place, the Tories expect mums and dads to step in. It’s going to be glorified baby-sitting – instead of what we have now: good quality, structured Ofsted measured preparation for primary school.

The consultation is rushed and deliberately timed to coincide with family holidays. By the time most families with children aged under five return from holiday and realise what’s going on, they will have missed their chance to comment. To get all this in place by January 2014 the Tories are ditching 16 years of excellence in early years’ education, recognised nationally.

I want to offer Swindon Borough Council help in finding better solutions. I know money’s tight, but other councils facing the same financial squeeze have not cut under-fives funding in the way Swindon is proposing. It’s all about priorities – instead of a £15m car park, I would put the money into Children’s Centres.

That is why I am setting up the Swindon Commission for Early Years, which will report alternative solutions in the autumn. Parents and children in Swindon deserve more than a swift under the radar consultation to cut this important and effective support.