DESPITE strong opposition to the move, Swindon Borough Council looks set to push ahead with the closure of the town’s five remaining children centres.

A public consultation was held when the move was announced late last year and many respondents said they were against the proposal.

However, council chiefs have decided to push on with the move, saying it can help a greater number of vulnerable youngsters through home visits.

With millions needing to be saved, it has been said this is the most efficient way of using the money available.

Instead, funding will be provided for a family support worker to operate in areas of Swindon with the highest number of potentially vulnerable children.

This will be a universal service serving youngsters up to three-years-old. And funding will be available for two years.

“The main reason for doing this is I think we can provide better support with a home visit services,” said Councillor Fionuala Foley (Con, Chiseldon and Lawn), the cabinet member for children's services.

“What a lot of people told us was it was the loss of somewhere to go to get advice about they were concerned about.

“That is I why I have secured funds to provide a family support worker. They will provide someone for parents who questions to go and speak to in confidence.”

The support worker will, along with the home visitor service, be based out of the existing Penhill centre and will divide their time between Goddard Park, Drove and Swindon Academy.

If the move is formalised later this month when the budget is approved, notice to close the centres will be given on April 1 and they will all close within three months.

She said: “Talks have already begun over finding someone to take over the running so I am confident none of the space will be left empty.

“There is interest from some about providing child care so we could in fact see provision increase.”

But political opponents have reacted angrily to the move, saying many parents will be left without support.

The Labour Shadow Lead for Children’s services, Coun Carol Shelley (Gorsehill and Pinehurst), said: “This proposal is, in effect, the council shutting its doors to vulnerable young people in Swindon. The administration have broken previous promises about keeping these Children’s Centres open and are now saying Children’s Centres are ineffective after having previously praised the work of children centres.

“From a purely financial perspective I think this decision is terribly short-sighted. Evidence has proven that Children’s Centres can prevent young families from reaching a crisis point which is when vulnerable families are most expensive to local authorities.

“I agree with the Prime Minister who recently highlighted the importance of Children’s Centres in helping lift families out of poverty and in early intervention.  Part-time workers working at Goddard Park, Drove and Swindon Academy will struggle to achieve the outcomes that the best Children’s.”