TORY cabinet members will discuss plans to close multiple children and youth centres – to create a family hub model instead.

For the first time since councillors from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) cancelled non-essential meetings on March 18 due to the coronavirus, cabinet members will meet virtually to discuss and vote on this plan.

The meeting will take place Thursday night where members are due to vote on the recommendation on closing selected children and youth centres across RBWM and integrate a family hub model for 0-19 year olds, which will focus on supporting and improving the livelihoods of children, young people and families in need of help.

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This new ‘transformation’ will continue to deliver services already being carried out by youth and children centres but will largely be focusing on targeted and specialist care to support the families in most need.

The hubs will be operated at Riverside Children’s Centre, Maidenhead and Windsor Youth Centre on Alma Road with office spaces being set up in other centres across the borough.

A 12-week public consultation was taken place where 501 responses were received. 36 per cent agreed with the new family hub proposal, 32 per cent disagreed and another 32 per cent stated they were neutral or did not know.

Fears were raised from consultees about reductions in universal services for struggling families or accessibility to the hubs for those who cannot drive – but the paper says the new model will improve support for children and young people by making it more responsive to struggling families with some universal services possibly being retained.

The report reveals this transformation will save the council £600,000 from its budget of £4,101,480 which represents 15 per cent on the total costs of community and youth services.

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These closures are projected to save RBWM £63,823 – but 17 redundancies will happen, and 24 job posts deleted.

If this proposal passes, it will only save the council £450,000 this year as it will be implemented partly through the year.

Planned closures are as followed:

  • Pinkneys Green Youth Centre – Costs £12,000 per annum (pa)
  • Larchfield Youth Centre – Costs £6,580 pa
  • Woodlands Park – Costs £9,587 pa
  • Eton Wick Youth Centre – Costs £20,000 pa
  • Eton Wick Children’s Centre – Costs £8,000 pa
  • Datchet Youth Centre – Costs £6,980 pa
  • Charters Youth Centre – will revert to school use
  • The Lawns Children’s Centre – Costs £7,330 pa
  • Old Windsor hall and Wraysbury – Both will cease as weekly centres due to small attendance, saving £1,000 per annum each
  • Outdoor provision in Hurley – will be transferred to community provider, saving £3,000 per annum

If passed, the family hubs should be fully operational on September 7, 2020.