20 Extra Children's Centres Set For Leeds (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

20 Extra Children's Centres Set For Leeds

April 21, 2005 11:05 PM

Leeds City Council's Early Years Service has hailed news that they are to receive a massive £16m boost to fund Children's Centre's across the city. Following the nationally recognised successes of LCC Early Years Service, flagship children's centres such as Little London's Mellow Valley are to receive extra cash to aid their development. Government chiefs have allocated an impressive £8.4m (revenue) and £7.3m (capital) in grants in recognition of the City's ability to develop such facilities to the highest standard.

Cllr Richard Harker (Leeds City Council's Executive Board Member for Lifelong Learning) speaking at yesterday's Executive Board Meeting said: "This is excellent news for both parents and children in Leeds. Praise must be heaped on the Early Years Service for all their hard work. It is their success that has persuaded the government to provide such an impressive sum."

Little London's Children's Centre is a partnership project between Sure Start Mellow Valley (led by the Children's Society), Leeds City Council and Little London Primary School. The flagship project will provide a range of services including high quality play opportunities, childcare and early education for pre - school children. The centre will also offer a range of new services, activities and facilities for parents and children including: advice about training and employment, training opportunities, family support, parent and toddler activities, health advice and information.

Of the £1,940,000 total project cost for Mellow Valley £481,000 will come from the newly allocated Children's Centre (capital) grant.

LCC's Early Years Service has been at the forefront of developing children's early years services. The success and progress of the Early Years Service has been recognised nationally, for example in the recently published government's 10 year strategy for childcare.

The success of the Early Years Service has also been reflected in the dramatic increases to their Children's Centre grant. In 2003 they were given an initial allocation of £1.6m (revenue) and £4.8m (capital) for 2004 - 2005. This was then revised to £5.5m (capital).

The enhanced amounts given to LCC are aided by the recent exemption from VAT for expenditure on such developments. Leeds Early Years Service led the campaign for this change and the head of Early Years was a member of the select treasury working group that tackled this issue.

As a result LCC Early Years Services have revised an already ambitious plan to open over 30 children's centres by 2008 to opening 50 children's centres by 2008.