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

The cabinet member contracts and assets introduced the item.

Thanks were expressed to officers, members of the scrutiny committee and those who had responded to consultations for their input to the final recommendations.

The report recognised the important role of children’s centres and the need to get best value from the buildings. The recommendations varied between the locations, reflecting the needs and circumstances of each area. The report dealt with the future of the buildings rather than services.

Councillor Gandy spoke as the chairman of the task and finish group which had undertaken a piece of work on early years provision and children’s centres. She supported the recommendations put forward. The work done by scrutiny had been very thorough and identified that while the services provided at the centres were important, take up was not as good as it could have been. The services needed to be marketed better and centred within the community to reach those families that really needed them.

*Councillor Lester arrived at 14:59

The assistant director communities spoke to the report. She noted that the work done by the scrutiny task and finish group had been influential in shaping the final recommendations and also the report presented to cabinet in October 2016 on the review of customer services and libraries. Many of the children’s centre buildings had been established for some time but requirements and circumstances had changed over that period.

The report sought to take opportunities to create additional space for nursery places which would be needed to address the increased entitlement to free childcare. There would be a saving of about £100k per annum due to increased income from letting of spaces and efficiencies in servicing the buildings.

There had been extensive consultation, targeted on those actually using the centres. Very specific questions had been used to focus feedback. There was general support for the proposals. Where concerns had been expressed about 2 particular centres the proposals had been adjusted based on the feedback received. 

In response to comments and queries from group leaders the following points were noted:

·         the proposals sought ways to generate more income from those premises that were being retained;

·         some services had free use of space in the centres as part of their contract with the council, an example of this was the health visitors arrangements;

·         some premises costs would continue where buildings were retained but the council was looking at ways to reduce these;

·         some premises costs were due to historic agreements from when the centres were set up;

·         the change in building arrangements reflected the change in service delivery which had already taken place;

·         where schools were taking over buildings it was expected that services would be available to all, not just to pupils of that school.

Resolved 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 underutilised 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.