St Mary's Children's Centre is a precious resource for Faversham.
Kent County Council is currently consulting on plans to reduce the number of children's centres across the county - something they've got to do to get the cost of building maintenance back to an affordable level.
They want to offer services more efficiently, including through the opening of new family hubs across the county. Their proposal for Faversham involves closing St Mary's while keeping the children's centre at Bysing Wood open, as well as providing some new services in the centre and east of the town.
Understandably lots of mums and families in the town are worried about this. While Bysing Wood is a good location for families living in west Faversham, it isn’t easy to get to for those living in the centre or east of the town.
Last week I met Sue Chandler, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Kent County Council, to raise our concerns, and this week followed up with a letter (which you can find at the bottom of this page).
A purpose-built facility for children is a precious community resource to have, and we’re concerned about letting it go.
I want to explore whether there’s anything that can be done to keep some services at the building. A creative solution just might be the answer here.
There's no doubt Kent County Council have got tough choices to make, but we’ve got to make sure that whatever happens we don't lose the help and support that so many families rely on.
