Slough Borough Council's plans to shut children's centre a 'disgrace'

The centre on Monksfield Way is one of seven Slough Borough Council plans to shut

Plans to close a children's centre are an "absolute disgrace", a local campaigner has said.

The Britwell centre in Slough is one of seven the cash-strapped local council is considering shutting in a bid to save £431,000.

Slough Borough Council's plans to move to a family hub model instead, focusing on improving targeted help, are currently out for public consultation.

Three of its current 10 centres would remain open under the proposals.

Those in Romsey Close, Chalvey Grove, and Penn Road would continue to provide services - and a standalone early education provision in Yew Tree Road was also proposed to remain operational.

Slough Borough Council effectively declared bankruptcy in 2021 after it racked up a £760m borrowing debt and a £357m deficit.

It plans to sell up to £600m of assets and make £22.4m of cuts.

Slough resident Julie Siddiqi is campaigning for the town's Britwell centre in Monksfield Way to remain open.

She said it was an "absolute disgrace" that the "incompetent" council was thinking about closing it to help reduce its debts.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she explained: "I don't think it's about someone doing their homework on what's really efficient and effective for the needs of children and families.

"It's more about 'we [the council] have got so much money we have to save to deal with this massive deficit we've got and what we can cut out and sell off'. That doesn't feel right."

The public consultation closes on 17 March.