Issue - items at meetings - Sure Start Capital and Fairlight Children's Centre

Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached).

1.       That the creation of a new Children’s Centre venue at Fairlight School be agreed at a cost of £100,000, by converting an existing classroom and creating a separate entrance to be funded from the reduction in funding for Shenfield Way from £200,000 to £100,000 – Surestart Capital Programme to be amended accordingly.

2.       That the change of the status of the Saltdean and Goldstone Children’s Centres be agreed so that they are not designated centres that will be inspected by Ofsted.  They will continue to be known locally as Children’s Centres and offer services in the same way as Bevendean and Coldean Children’s Centres.

3.       That some changes in the Sure Start capital programme be agreed, which include reducing the funding for Shenfield Way from £200,00 to £100,000 and increasing the funding for Hollingbury Park (from £500,000 to £600,000) from the unallocated balance of Quality and Access Sure Start grant – Sure Start Capital Programme to be amended accordingly.

40.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Sure Start capital and Fairlight Children’s Centre, which proposed a new Children’s Centre venue to be based in Fairlight Primary School and recommended the change to the status of the Saltdean and Goldstone Children’s Centre (for copy see minute book).

40.2    The Head of Services, City Early Years and Childcare, briefly referred to the Saltdean and Goldstone Children’s Centres. She explained that the suggestion to their change of status came about because both were relatively small areas. It was considered that it would be more effective to link them to a nearby Children’s Centre to create a larger catchment area.  She noted that this change would be mainly administrative.

40.3    The Head of Service also referred to the identified gap in the Lewes Road area and hence the proposal to create a Children’s Centre at Fairlight Primary School. She indicated that the cost of refurbishment for the offices in Shenfield Way would be lower, which had helped to release funding to support the creation of a centre at Fairlight.

40.4    The Opposition Spokesperson, Labour Group, indicated that she was pleased that the council had taken professional advice on this matter and congratulated the team of officers for the work undertaken in relation to these proposals.

40.4    RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:

(1)      That the creation of a new Children’s Centre venue at Fairlight School be agreed at a cost of £100,000, by converting an existing classroom and creating a separate entrance to be funded from the reduction in funding for Shenfield Way from £200,000 to £100,000 – Surestart Capital Programme to be amended accordingly.

(2)      That the change of the status of the Saltdean and Goldstone Children’s Centres be agreed so that they are not designated centres that will be inspected by Ofsted.  They will continue to be known locally as Children’s Centres and offer services in the same way as Bevendean and Coldean Children’s Centres.

(3)      That some changes in the Sure Start capital programme be agreed, which include reducing the funding for Shenfield Way from £200,00 to £100,000 and increasing the funding for Hollingbury Park (from £500,000 to £600,000) from the unallocated balance of Quality and Access Sure Start grant – Sure Start Capital Programme to be amended accordingly.