Swindon budget: Children centres axed as council tax rises

Swindon's five remaining children centres will close and council tax will rise by 4% after councillors voted to make £20m of savings.

Library funding will also be cut by £300,000 after Swindon Borough Council approved the 2016/7 budget on Thursday.

In 2013 Swindon had 14 centres, set up under the last Labour government, but they have been closed to save money.

The council said vulnerable children will now be prioritised through health visitors.

Children centres hold parenting classes and support groups.

Those due to be "deregistered" are Penhill and Pinehurst, Drove, Moredon, Gorse Hill and Parks and Walcot East - saving £600,000 in 2016-17.

The buildings, some of which house nurseries and other children's services, will remain open.

Labour councillor Jim Grant told the Conservative-led administration it was "ignoring" protesters.

But council leader David Renard told BBC Wiltshire: "We took the view that, given that there's less money available, that we would put the money into health visitors.

"We think that supporting people in their own homes is the best use of that money, rather than putting it into buildings. That was the choice we felt we had to make, as difficult as it was," said Mr Renard.

Swindon Borough Council said it has to make between £70m and £80m of savings by 2020.

Half of the council tax rise, which will come into force in April, will go towards adult social care, generating £6.5m over the next four years.

The overall rise will increase the council's portion of the average Band D council tax bill by £45.73 a year.