Consultation over closure plans for 20 Shropshire children's centres

Shropshire Council's cabinet passed plans to reduce the services from 26 different buildings to six – saving £875,000.

And now a public consultation will open so that residents can give their views on the proposed changes, which include a "small number" of compulsory redundancies, along with voluntary redundancies, council officials have said.

Under the proposals, services would be delivered from The Centre in Oswestry, Richmond House in Shrewsbury, Crowmoor Centre in Shrewsbury, Rockspring Centre in Ludlow and buildings in Whitchurch and Bridgnorth that are yet to be decided. Services would also be delivered at community venues and homes.

The centres facing closure are those based at:

• Buttercup and Honeysuckle lodges in Shrewsbury

• Meole Brace Primary in Shrewsbury

• Mereside Primary in Shrewsbury

• Sunflower House in Shrewsbury

• Stokesay Primary in Craven Arms

• Shrewsbury Road in Church Stretton

• Crowgate in Bishops Castle

• St Mary's in Bridgnorth.

• Ellesmere Primary

• Market Drayton’s Longlands

• Market Drayton Infants

• St Peter's in Wem

• Baschurch Village Hall

• Morda Primary

• Oswestry’s Woodside Primary

• Albrighton Primary

• St Andrew’s in Shifnal

• St Mary’s in Bridgnorth

• Severn Centre in Highley

• Ellesmere Primary

Councillor Nicholas Bardsley, portfolio holder for children and young people, told cabinet what the new delivery model for Early Help services would offer.

He said: "It saves families from getting into trouble, or getting into more trouble, ultimately, that saves the council money but more importantly it reduces the chances of the children being taken into care.

"Nobody wants to bring children into care, the policy needs to evolve and change.

"At the moment we are spending a considerable amount on buildings, some of which are very poorly used, this is quite a radical proposal.

"It doesn't mean buildings would have to close, if a school is already using the building it would take over the running costs."

Lib Dem's Roger Evans said he has concerns about what is being proposed for young people.

He said: "Are we taking money from vulnerable people?"

Council leader Peter Nutting said the council had to change the way it went forward for "all sorts of services" as a council.

He added: "Let's not beat ourselves up, we're a good council and are providing really good services for the community."

Councillor Bardsley added: "We're putting significant amounts of money into buildings which are not used at all or very little, it doesn't seem to me to be a very good use of resources."

The public consultation will open on May 29 and responses can be received until July 12.

A number of public meetings will be held in the county for residents to have their say.