No cuts to Holderness Sure Start Centres

SPENDING ON "SURE START" CHILDREN'S CENTRES in Holderness, which aim to give children from birth to 5-years old the "best possible start in life", is expected to increase during the next financial year. This is welcome news considering that elsewhere in the country there are fears that up to 250 centres may close within one year and 3,100 centres will have a reduced budget.

The East Riding Council has confirmed via a Freedom of Information request that the proposed budget for Holderness children's centres for 2011-2012 is £551,518. This represents a small increase in spending of just over £88,000 on last year's expenditure. This figure includes spending on all operational costs (premises, service delivery and advice) in Holderness which includes centres in Hedon, Withernsea and an outreach in Patrington.

The council has said that its proposed budgets are only preliminary but there will be an increase to the East Riding children's centre budget and there will be some new posts established and recruitment in 2011-2012.

The issue of Sure Start funding was a controversial issue during last years general election campaign in the Beverley and Holderness constituency, see Beverley Hustings - Sure Start Row.

See the Freedom of Information request and response on WhatDoTheyKnow - Funding for Sure Start Centres in Holderness.