More than 20 children's centres across Kent could close under new cost-cutting proposals by Kent County Council.

The authority said it has identified 23 centres out of 97 across the county which it believes are no longer needed amid an efficiency drive.

To make up the loss from those centres, council chiefs are suggesting 16 "lead centres", which already provide services for a larger number of families.

These would co-ordinate other centres, which would be linked together in their area.
The bigger centres, which under the plans will be known as Children’s Centre Plus, will have to work more closely with GPs, schools, voluntary services and health visitors so families get the support they need.

The list of centres that have been proposed for closure are:

• Cherry Blossom and Squirrel Lodge in Ashford
• Apple Tree, Briary, Little Bees, Swalecliffe and Tina Rintoul in Canterbury
• Maypole in Dartford
• Primrose in Dover
• Daisy Chains and Little Painters in Gravesham
• Loose and Marden in Maidstone
• Dunton Green and Merry-Go Round in Sevenoaks
• New Romney, The Village or Folkestone Early Years in Shepway
• St Mary’s and Woodgrove in Swale
• Hadlow/East Peckham and Larkfield in Tonbridge and Malling
• Pembury in Tunbridge Wells
• There are no proposed closures in Swanley or Thanet

Along with those proposed closures, 13 centres could run on a part-time basis.

These centres are:

• Temple Hill in Dartford
• Dymchurch, Hythe Bay and Lydd’le Stars in Shepway
• Beaches and Lilypad in Swale
• Birching, Callis Grange and Garlinge in Thanet
• Harmony in Tunbridge Wells

A further two centres, the Buttercup and Daisy in Dover, are being merged and relocated.

The authority hopes the reduction in building and management costs will save around £1.5million over the next financial year - on top of the £1.4m it has to save by the end of this year.

Cllr Jenny Whittle, cabinet member for specialist children’s services, said: "We believe that the ones that should remain open are those in communities with high levels of need, but we want to make sure that all parents can access a children’s centre - within a 15-minute drive of their home.

"Most of the centres that we've identified as suitable for closure are those that operate on a part-time basis.

"We're also taking a significant expansion of the health visitor workforce in Kent, which will see health visitors and children centre staff going into family homes and seeing some are most vulnerable parents - the least likely to walk through the door of a children's centre.

"We've reached our decision by looking at the rate of usage and the majority of users are accessing centres nearby - so where we know the footfall going through children centres are low, the majority are using other centres and the levels of need is low, we believe they're potential candidates for closure."

KCC has launched a 12-week consultation on the plans. To have your say, visit www.kent.gov.uk/childrenscentres.