We need your help!

Lambeth Council are currently running a consultation of Streatham residents, asking for our views on proposed cuts to our children’s centres. We need you to fill out the consultation and tell the council clearly:
NO CUTS, NO CLOSURES. Every children’s centre needs saving!

Fill out the consultation here (it will take less than 5 minutes!): https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/consultations/have-your-say-on-the-future-of-streatham-children’s-centres-consultation

Deadline: 25th June, 11pm

Background:

• Lambeth Council have voted to close 5 of our children’s centres in the borough and to downgrade a further 7. The proposals were agreed by the cabinet last month, a decision currently under review.
• Streatham residents are being consulted over changes to the proposals: where Sunnyhill was due to be closed, now Woodmansterne is set to close in its place. This is an opportunity for us to protest the proposals in their entirety!

Key issues:

• Our children’s centres are already running on a shoestring and are hugely oversubscribed – any more cuts will have a devastating impact on Lambeth’s families.
• The council is claiming that it has no choice but to make these cuts. We disagree.The council’s budget, passed in April, includes an increase in council reserves. Alternative proposals were submitted during the consultation period, which urged the council to increase reserves by less than is currently intended. Reserves would still be considerably above statutory minimum and higher than in previous years, but it would mean keeping our children’s centres running – providing an immeasurably valuable service to thousands of families, and saving many millions of pounds in the long-term!

What to say in the consultation:

1. “We are proposing the maintain Hitherfield as a Core Centre with a full programme of activities morning and afternoon”: STRONGLY AGREE.
2. “We are proposing the maintain Streatham Hub as a Link Centre”: STRONGLY DISAGREE.
3. “We are revising our proposals for Sunnyhill and Woodmansterne…”: STRONGLY DISAGREE.

• You will be given the opportunity to provide comments for each of these questions. This is the most important bit! Please write clearly that NO CUTS should be made to our children’s centres, and NO children’s centres should be closed.

Get involved in the campaign!

• There is a campaign against these cuts being organised by parents, Lambeth UNISON, and children’s centre workers. To get involved email krogers@lambeth.gov.uk.
• Follow the campaign on:

www.fb.com/LambethSOS
@LambethSOS