Mum vows to carry on fight to keep 43 children's centres in Hampshire open

Mum-of-two Catherine Ovenden has vowed to fight the decision in court which she claims is “illegal”, and has already sought legal advice with a view to starting a judicial review bid.

As reported in the Daily Echo, a decision to cut the centres to save £8.5m was taken this month after a 10-week consultation, leading to 100 jobs being lost when the family support is centralised to 11 district hubs. However opposition politicians called in the decision to be reconsidered.

Hampshire County Council say the proposal will target support at the most vulnerable and bring their service into the 21st century.

Councillors against the plan pleaded for executive member councillor Keith Mans to reconsider.

Liberal Democrat Cllr councillor Malcolm Wade said the decision is short-sighted.

Cllr Wade said: “What I am concerned about is there are gaps of detail in the proposal; we have 58 per cent loss of staff, delivering to 48 per cent more children,.

"There are thousands of children and families that are no longer going to have any support.

"Where is the impact assessment on those children and families? And the risk assessment? I can’t see any.”

However the majority of councillors on Children and Young People Select Committee voted against the decision to be reconsidered.

One of those was former Hampshire County Council leader and Conservative councillor Ken Thornber.

Mr Thornber told councillors he felt there were too many managers at the centres and not enough frontline staff, and said the cuts were necessary.

Cllr Thornber said: “We never came came here any of us to reduce services but we have not got the money, there is £98m more to save in the coming year and I am afraid it has to be swingeing cuts across most activities.”

Meanwhile Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services and Deputy Leader Keith Mans argued that even without the council cuts that some centres may have been cut.

Cllr Mans said: “There are other things we are doing that contribute more to helping people in our community than the centres.”

“I think the direction of travel would have been the same but I do not think it would have been so quick.”

Ms Ovenden, below, was angered by the decision, saying: “The decision is purely based around money, not need. Some councillors made the point that there have been savings in other departments which could have been used to save the centres.

“There was an obsession with there being too many Managers, but these are working managers who are out in the Community working with families. These centres have been a lifeline, especially to women.

“I am passionate about the number of lives saved by early intervention, the number of children prepared for school life, and the number of changed aspirations. We know these centres have changed lives and saved lives. We have proved that. They still haven’t listened. From what we understand, they will be gone by Christmas.”

“I will take them to court.”

Ms Ovenden said she has been in discussions with lawyers and will attempt to bring about a judicial review, she added “It is not over.”

While Liberal Democrat councillor Bruce Tennent said: “I think the decision is abhorrent it is terrible, but being realistic Hampshire Tories have not got the money to play with.”