To agree the future management, use and operation of children centre buildings.

The recommendations are based on making the most of buildings currently in the council’s ownership as a resource for children and families.  The proposals are based on the buildings being operated by other parties or operated by the authority where there is no obvious community delivery partner, supported by generating an earned income to contribute to costs.

The recommendations take account of the recent consultation on children centre buildings, cabinet recommendations regarding customer services and libraries and the executive response to the recommendations of the health and social care overview and scrutiny committee on early years services.

That:

(a)         Greencroft, Broadlands and Ledbury children centre buildings be operated by the schools on site under agreements with each school to deliver 0-5 year services including hosting health and midwife clinics;

(b)        subject to provision being made in the 2018/19 capital programme and to reaching appropriate agreement with Ross Town Council, Ross children centre services be provided from Ross Library and the Old Chapel;

(c)         Kingstone children centre building operated by Kes Childcare for 0-5 year services based upon reaching appropriate agreement with Kes Childcare for lease of the land and building;

(d)        Coningsby children centre services in Leominster to be relocated to the under-utilised space at the council’s multi agency office (next door) and additional activity at Leominster library;

(e)         further to d) above, Honeybees nursery be granted a ten year lease at a rent of £16k per annum for use of Coningsby children centre;

(f)          subject to appropriate procurement and agreement of lease terms enable part of the ground floor of Widemarsh centre for child care services; and

(g)        the chief finance officer be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary in consultation with director children’s wellbeing to implement the above recommendations within approved budgets and in accordance with the council’s corporate property strategy.

An alternative option is to retain the status quo.  This is not recommended as it does not reflect the changing model of service delivery, does not address the need for additional places in nurseries nor the pressures on schools for spaces, and misses the opportunity for efficiencies through shared use of sites.

Another alternative option is to close the children centres – creating a full saving on the running cost of buildings compensated with an outreach model based on current revenue spend by children centre services.  This is not recommended as the buildings at the current time still have a role to play as places to support families and children.  It would also not support community, schools and nursery need.