CONCERN has been raised over the future of Haslemere’s Tennyson’s Sure Start Children’s Centre, as a result of a new model for ‘early help’ proposed by Surrey County Council

Surrey is currently consulting on possible changes to the service, including a move away from individual children’s centres to ‘community hubs,’ which will save the council at least £9.7million.

Tennyson’s Sure Start is one of 58 children’s centres owned by the council across the county, which Lib Dem opposition councillors have objected could be adversely affected if the new model is adopted due to funding cuts.

Recommending the new model to the council’s last Cabinet meeting, officers stated: “We have a range of buildings across Surrey that are currently used as venues to deliver early help to children and families.

“While these are important, as they provide an underpinning architecture from which services can be offered locally, we also know early help is more about relationships with people than it is buildings.

“In response to the savings demanded by our challenging financial context, it is incumbent on us that we explore different ways of using the current early help buildings across the partnership more effectively and efficiently in the future, with a focus on communities with the greatest need.

“This aligns with the council’s overall approach to exploring the development of community hubs, where a variety of services can be made available to residents in one place.

“Surrey CC currently commissions 58 children’s centres, which are already delivered in partnership with schools and voluntary sector providers.

“In the course of 2018, the county will work with current providers, wider stakeholders and the public to re-shape a new children’s centre offer to commence in April 2019.

“We want to design a model that fulfils the children’s centre’s core purpose around health, well-being and early education, but sits outside the national Sure Start Children’s Centre model so it is more flexible to respond to local need.

“Our working title for these new centres is ‘family places’, but they will also need to fit with the council’s developing overall approach to community hubs.”

Councillor Chris Botten, the Lib Dem spokesman for children and education, said: “Our children’s centres do so much for families and children which is not well publicised, and Surrey should be proud of them.

“They provide essential guidance and support for families with challenges and make a real difference to their lives.

“I will be doing all I can to ensure we can save as much of the skill and commitment of the staff and ensure they continue to make a difference in the future.”