Councillor Fay Howard has reacted to an article from Guardian Columnist, Polly Toynbee, highlighting the Swindon Children Centres closures: http:
Cllr Howard said: “I 100% agree with Polly Toynbee. David Cameron is highlighting the importance of helping families to lift them out of poverty and disadvantage and the importance of early intervention. Yet here in Swindon the Prime Minister’s own party colleagues are planning to close the five remaining children’s centres that are in the heart of the town’s most deprived communities.
The fact the Conservatives say they are supportive of strong families and are pledging hundreds of millions of pounds over the next five years to address this, but have not done anything in Swindon to retain Children’s Centres that are already making a profound impact on Children’s lives, is frustrating.
Polly Toynbee’s article highlights an example in Swindon of a grandmother caring alone for her three grandchildren because her daughter was too acutely depressed to cope and how the Walcot and Parks Children’s Centre helped the mother make new friends and began interacting with her children. That’s the impact Children’s Centres can have.
It would be nice if the Prime Minister could come to Swindon to explain to councillors in his party the importance that Children’s Centres play, as he has done with his councillors in his constituency in Oxfordshire.”