Fight to keep family facility (From Barry And District News)

Fight to keep family facility

GIBBONSDOWN Children's Centre could see it's funding slashed if plans to cut costs by the Vale Council go ahead.

But local councillor Rob Curtis has slammed the local authority over the proposal and has vowed to fight keep the vital facility open.

The proposed move comes after the council's scrutiny committees are due to make a number of recommendations in order to review budget costs.

The Children's Centre provides a number of services to children and families in the local community.

The Helping Hands Nursery could even be closed as a result of the cutbacks and a number of other groups and societies could also suffer.

The centre, which is a registered charity, has been providing low cost childcare and parent education for disadvantaged families.

Councillor Curtis said: "The work this centre carries out for the most vulnerable children in the whole of the Vale of Glamorgan is vital."

He added that keeping the centre open would actually help the Vale Council save on benefit costs.

Manager of the Children's Centre Nursery Gill Bloom said: "We're virtually always full.

"We have a waiting list as well because it is such good value for money.

"If the funding is withdrawn then I cannot see how we can carry on."

The centre says that 200 children have used the facilities in the past year.

Belinda Harvey is a mother who regularly takes her daughter Holly Rose to the Nursery. She said that if the centre closed then she would have to give up work.

"I would be devastated if the Nursery closed. It's a good service and Holly enjoys the social activities here. I would probably have to give up work if it closed so I could take care of Holly."

A Vale of Glamorgan Council spokesman said: "The Cabinet will make the final decision on where any cuts are made in order to balance the Council's budgets."