Blackpool Council wants to hear residents’ views on the future of children’s centres.
A consultation is set to take place from 16April which will run for 8 weeks, as part of new proposals to widen the services available at school-based children’s centres across Blackpool.



Over the coming years, due to cuts to our budget from the Department for Education the council’s early years budget, which funds school-based children’s centres, will fall by £1m per year, as we look to meet the savings required. This unwinding of the budget will happen over time so that we can become sustainable.

In order to continue to offer an excellent service to a wider range of people, we’re proposing a new model for future children’s centres. Two options are being considered.

The first proposal would see services being located where they're needed the most, extended opening times, continuing services for those with special educational needs and disabilities, and more on offer for all the whole community, rather than just to families with children aged between 0-5.

As part of the proposals, all buildings would stay open, but the two less frequently used centres (Mereside and St. Cuthbert’s) could have a different offer with children’s centre activity potentially merging into neighbouring centres (Baines, Revoe and Thames).

The second proposal would see three types of children’s centres in Blackpool which would work together to ensure residents can access a range of services within walking distance from their homes:

A Hub with enhanced services for all residents and extended opening hours.
A Centre where a full range of activities are delivered on site including 1:1 support for Children and Families (for some centres this will be term-time only)
An Outreach venue where a full range of activities are delivered on site and with 1:1 support for Children and Families provided by the neighbourhood Hub.
Cllr Kath Benson, Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, said: “We are really proud of the services we provide across our children’s centres and we know how vital they are to local residents.

“Government funding cuts mean it’s not possible to continue to fund Blackpool’s children centres in the way that we currently do, but by listening to residents, and changing the way we run things, we can continue to provide great services and actually grow and develop our service for the wider community.

“I would urge anyone who uses the centres to have their say. We want to make sure we are creating the right services in the right place.”

Residents have until 8 June 2018 to send their views. To find out more about the proposed changes, or to have your say, please visit www.blackpool.gov.uk/Consultations