A MASSIVE boost to the health and well-being of thousands of families in Southampton is on the cards - thanks to a new initiative by the city council.

About 5,000 children in the city under the age of five are expected to benefit from the plans to boost the SureStart scheme which will provide a huge increase in children's services.

Members of the city council are also due to approve additional funding of £114,000 for a new health and family centre in Millbrook.

Work will begin on the £3m centre in December. When completed in Nov-ember next year, the centre will provide a base for health and family services in Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush.

At a council Cabinet meeting today city bosses are expected to submit a bid for grants of £1,417,000 from the Department of Education and Skills.

The cash would pay for an additional 525 places in the city's existing SureStart programme and would allow children aged from three years and nine months to the age of five to be included in the project.

A new programme for the under-fives in Swaythling and Mansbridge would also be on the cards if the scheme was approved by the government.

Included is an extra 90 childminding places. About 5,000 children will benefit from the scheme by 2010.

The first phase of the project is due to be rolled-out between next year and 2006 and expand the existing SureStart programmes in Millbrook, Redbridge, Maybush and Weston.

The plans also include the development of a programme in the Sway-thling and Mansbridge areas to provide new services to 468 children.

The health centre in Millbrook will provide a "hub" for children's and health services in the Millbrook and Redbridge wards.

Costs will be covered by £803,000 from SureStart funds, £918,000 from South-ampton City Primary Care Trust, £700,000 of the government's Single Regeneration Budget and £650,000 of city council cash.

Southampton council leader Council-lor Adrian Vinson said: "This is about extending SureStart initiatives to areas of the city which have not yet benefited from them and which clearly defined needs.

"It has always been our intention to mainstream SureStart and this builds on the excellent experiences we have had elsewhere. It is a good news story and we are obviously very pleased."