The 947m announced by children's minister Margaret Hodge on 4 April includes capital funding for the Government's drive to create 2,500 children's centres by 2008 and revenue funding, both for the new centres and to sustain those already in the pipeline.
Lesley Adams, head of early years and childcare for Birmingham City Council, said, 'I am disappointed about the level of capital funding because the Pounds 15.3m is almost the same as we have had over the last two years to develop significantly fewer centres.'
Birmingham has been given 41m to develop 43 new centres and to sustain 25 already in development. Ms Adams said, 'I'm pleased we have got some revenue funding to continue the centres we already have in place.' But she added, 'When you start doing the maths, it is not an embarrassment of riches.'
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