Council to merge children's centres with libraries to save £500k
Joe Lepper
Friday, February 17, 2017
A council is to invest money in an overhaul of its children's centres and libraries that will see the two services share premises in at least four areas to deliver long-term savings.
The move by North Somerset Council will see £820,000 spent on refurbishing premises as well as extending library opening hours and updating IT systems.
The majority of the changes will be in place by July and it is hoped that £500,000 can be saved by 2018/19, with further savings to follow.
The council has taken decisions on the future of children's centre services in five areas so far. In two areas the children's centres will move into their local libraries, in a further area the library will be moved into the children's centre, and in another area children's centre will have a "library access point" added. One area will retain a separate library and children's centre.
A consultation on a second phase of changes - looking at library and children's centre services in a further four areas - will take place later this year. The council has said there will still be 14 designated children's centres in total by the end of the process.
A statement issued by the council said: "This review is about ensuring we retain and, where we can, improve these services in our communities, rather than lose them as is happening in some other parts of the country.
"Faced with continuing financial pressures and changing customer needs and demographics, we need to undertake regular service reviews to ensure value for money.
"The review provides us with a great opportunity to improve customer access to services through self-service and increased opening hours and to co-ordinate services and maximise the use of our buildings for the benefit of families and communities."
Department for Education figures released earlier this month show that children's centres are being closed or downgraded across England at the rate of 10 a month. The DfE is set to launch a consultation on the future of children's centres later this year.
