A Derbyshire council is set to close 10 children’s centres and cut 132 staff

Derbyshire County Council has revealed that it will close 10 children’s centres, including centres in Gamesley and Hadfield, while also cutting 132 staff in a bid to bridge a budget blackhole of £34 million.

Council officials detailed the plans in a scrutiny meeting today (Thursday, April 11), announcing that it would reduce its remaining 22 children centres to 12.

The closures would be in Alfreton, Bolsover, Charnos (Ilkeston), Gamesley, Hadfield, Holme Hall (Chesterfield), Ironville, Langley Mill, Matlock and Old Whittington.

Officials said this follows a major overhaul in 2018 when the authority closed 34 children’s centres – reducing from 56 to 22 – and “isn’t something we would have chosen to do”.

Meanwhile, a union representative, Dave Ratchford, a regional officer for UNISON, told the meeting the council’s plan was to see 60 per cent of staff in the early help department made redundant. This would see 132.5 full-time jobs scrapped out of 221.5 full-time roles.

Alison Noble, service director for early help and safeguarding at the council, said the proposed cutbacks were “not without risk”.

She said the council was not solely responsible for the welfare of children and that it would have a key focus on those most in need, with continued close partnership with other organisations who also bear responsibility.

In response to a question from Cllr Nigel Gourlay about the ability to prevent “rare, tragic events” to be retained, Ms Noble said: “We are never going to be in a position to rescue and make sure that all adults and children in our communities are kept safe”.

She said the authority would work to “meet expectations”.

This comes two weeks after a report from the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership found that the county council’s social services and specifically safeguarding were “inadequate” in their care provided to Finley Boden and his family.

Finley Boden was murdered by his parents 39 days after being returned to his home with many missed opportunities for intervention.

Ms Noble said the council was responsible for 180,000 children and that 1,070 children were currently in its direct care, up from 900 two years ago and 741 four years ago, which she denied was “significant”.

She said the 1,000 figure was “a small number, thank the lord”.

Ms Noble said sometimes a teacher is best placed for intervention with a child and their families, including having “challenging conversations”.

She said: “This isn’t something that we would have chosen to do. We are at a critically important position with the council’s budget.

“The closure of 10 children’s centres would involve closing the least efficient of our children’s centres where we are not quite getting the outcomes we would want and could be maintained within our remaining children’s centres.”

Ms Noble later clarified that this was largely linked to footfall figures.

Cllr Peter Rose, who represents the division containing both the at-risk Alfreton and Ironville children’s centres, said the two venues should be retained with the area being one of the most deprived in the county.

He had asked: “Are you basically holding your hands up and saying we can’t get a positive outcome, we are leaving?”

Ms Noble said the costs of looking after children in care have risen “astronomically” and said the early help service is “discretionary” and does not have to be provided by the council, but would still be retained.

She said: “Early help and intervention is a crucial service for early intervention with children deemed at risk.

“Of course it is a service the council would seek to provide. We will continue to focus on children with the highest need and at highest risk of needing to be taken into local authority care.

“Fundamentally, children are cared for best, and should be, with their families.

“Our children’s centres offer will continue but it won’t be as broad as 22 centres, but we will have sufficient buildings to ensure that community-based offers are continued.”

A statement in a presentation shown during the meeting said: “All colleagues in the Early Help Service are potentially at risk of redundancy and a significant proportion of the posts in the service will be disestablished in order to ensure financial savings are achieved.”

A report on the potential closures will be taken to the council’s leading Conservative cabinet on April 29, the meeting was told.

Ms Noble said: “The changes to the service are not without risk. It will still remain a strong early help offer. Other councils do not have this depth.

“Many families that do not receive the help they need could see deterioration.

“It is really crucial that organisations work together to understand the needs of families and that we coordinate a response.

“There is a risk of greater escalation of children that require higher intervention.”

Cllr Rose said: “If this is a good idea, has there been all this fat there for the past few years and that all this money has been wasted? I don’t think that is the case.”

This comes as the council looks to also close four of its day centres for people on the autism spectrum or who have learning difficulties, with centres in Alderbook in Chinley, the Parkwood Centre in Alfreton, No Limits in Chesterfield and Outlook in Long Eaton set to be closed.