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| Norfolk children's centre closures: Protestors lobby council | Norfolk children's centre closures: Protestors lobby council |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| People unhappy at plans to close most of Norfolk's children's centres have been protesting outside County Hall in Norwich. | People unhappy at plans to close most of Norfolk's children's centres have been protesting outside County Hall in Norwich. |
| Conservative-run Norfolk County Council has recommended shutting 46 out of 53 centres when their contracts end in September 2019. | Conservative-run Norfolk County Council has recommended shutting 46 out of 53 centres when their contracts end in September 2019. |
| The remaining seven, one in each district in Norfolk, will serve as "hubs" providing outreach services. | The remaining seven, one in each district in Norfolk, will serve as "hubs" providing outreach services. |
| The Labour Party says the plans have not been thought through properly. | The Labour Party says the plans have not been thought through properly. |
| Children's centres were opened under the Sure Start name by the last Labour government, primarily for relatively-disadvantaged families with pre-school children. | Children's centres were opened under the Sure Start name by the last Labour government, primarily for relatively-disadvantaged families with pre-school children. |
| 'Passionate' protesters | 'Passionate' protesters |
| Councillor Mike Smith-Clare, from the Labour group, said: "People are passionate about this, they don't want to see centres closed. | Councillor Mike Smith-Clare, from the Labour group, said: "People are passionate about this, they don't want to see centres closed. |
| "They know cuts are going to affect, not just children but future communities... they are angry and they have every right to be." | "They know cuts are going to affect, not just children but future communities... they are angry and they have every right to be." |
| The protesters gathered outside the council offices ahead of a full council meeting where a report from last month's children's services committee is due to be presented. | The protesters gathered outside the council offices ahead of a full council meeting where a report from last month's children's services committee is due to be presented. |
| In February, the authority announced the children's centre budget for 2019 had been cut from £10m to £5m. | In February, the authority announced the children's centre budget for 2019 had been cut from £10m to £5m. |
| At present about 23,000 under-fives use the centres annually. | At present about 23,000 under-fives use the centres annually. |
| The council, which has begun a consultation about the proposals, said it wanted to create a more consistent service that met the needs of families. | The council, which has begun a consultation about the proposals, said it wanted to create a more consistent service that met the needs of families. |
| The authority said 60%-70% of its work with families was already via the centres' outreach staff. | The authority said 60%-70% of its work with families was already via the centres' outreach staff. |
| Penny Carpenter, the former chairwoman of the council's children's services committee at the time the consultation started, denied the proposals were a result of funding cuts. | |
| "By spending our money on frontline services, rather than buildings, we'll be able to provide more focused one-to-one and group support, with a more consistent service across the county," she said when the proposals were announced last month. | |
| The consultation results will be discussed by children's services committee in January 2019 with a decision agreed by full council in February or March. | The consultation results will be discussed by children's services committee in January 2019 with a decision agreed by full council in February or March. |