Save Mossley Hill Children's Centre

Dear parents,

A number of people have asked us about the new consultation that has been circulated.  If you have not seen it then the proposal is that across the city there will be ‘hub’ centres and ‘spoke’ centres.  The Hub centres have been chosen as those in the most deprived areas (based on criteria which the council have circulated in their literature). Church and Mossley Hill is to be a ‘spoke’ centre teamed up with Dingle Laneas the ‘hub.’  The detailed information is available on the council website at www.liverpool.gov.uk/council/consultation

The parent committee have met to discuss what these proposals might mean for us and we have listed below our thoughts from which you are welcome to formulate a response.

We would encourage as many of you as possible to send in your views to the consultation by FRIDAY 11^TH MAY.

email:  church&mossleyhillconsultation@liverpool.gov.uk

 and to attend the public meeting on FRIDAY 30TH MARCH at the centre 2-3pm

1.We know from our efforts to keep the centre open that Liverpool is facing huge budget cuts and therefore we feel that this is a fair model which ensures that all parts of the city retain a service, thus if any additional funding becomes available in the future the centres are still operational.  Unlike some centres we are therefore feeling quite positive about the model as a way forward under difficult circumstances.

2. We don’t think who we are ‘paired’ up with makes a difference to us as service users, we can still access any centre in the city.  How the centres are managed and retaining the same staff who have delivered our sessions and built up relationships with parents though is essential. We want to keep our staff and our excellent sessions and we need to make this clear. It is critical that as a spoke centre we still get to run independently although some collaboration obviously makes sense.

3. There are proposed budget reductions which inevitably means that not all of the sessions we currently get will be able to be delivered.  It is important therefore that you make clear which service is particularly important to you and why – for example breastfeeding support, sessions delivered in SARA Hall for people living further from the centre, multiple birth group, the quality and popularity of our story and rhyme sessions.

There are some proposals for staff redundancies but enhanced packages are being offered assuming that some people will take this voluntarily.  Fundraising to top up the centre budgets will also go a long way towards helping retain as many services and staff as possible and I think this is something that staff and parents at Mossley Hill are up for.  We also continue to lobby central government about the importance of Sure Start as they are the ones who have set the budget reductions to the early intervention grant.

Everyone did a brilliant job of keeping the centre open, let’s make sure our quality of service is also retained!

Thanks,

Su Stringfellow, On behalf of the parents forum.

On Wednesday 9th November there is a full City Council meeting at the Town Hall. it is the last council meeting before the consultation ends and our only chance to make an impact on every member of the City Council. Our local councillors put forward a motion to discuss the closure of the centre and it has been chosen for debate.

To really make an impact we think it would help to have a protest outside before the meeting from 4-5pm (the meeting starts at 5pm, councillors start arriving at 4pm to plan their responses to the various items up for discussion). We have placards and pram/buggies are welcome, they will make us more noticeable.

So this is an appeal to come down and shout at the councillors as they arrive! We really need as many people as possible to make an impact. People can go into the public gallery to watch the meeting if they wish but if you are just able to turn up for the protest that would be great.

Hope to see you there.

Consultation Document – Church and Mossley Hill  

Here is the consultation document containing all the relevent contact details for the consultation process, including the times and dates of the public meetings ( 26th October 2011 2-3pm and 3rd Novemeber 2011 6-7pm). See you there!!

Liverpool City Council is starting its consultation on the proposed closure of Church and Mossley Hill Children’s Centre at the beginning of October. To have any impact at all on this decision we, as parents, need to lobby the City Council as much as we can over the next few weeks. To have any chance of keeping the centre open we are asking you to please write to your local councillors and visit them at their surgeries.  Email campaign@savemossleyhillcc.org for more details.

Thanks

A big thank you to everyone who came to our Bed In. We really appreciate all your support.

Parents and children marched to Calderstones School dressed as Bob the Builder to lobby the government minister Michael Gove amidst much media attention.