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Parents speak last on centre development

Key stakeholders have been consulted on a range of options for creating 26 children's centres in Norfolk, but 'tight' Government guidelines have kept parents waiting to have their say, head of early years and childcare Marcelle Curtis said last week. The first phase of the consultation process, which began on 19 October, ended last Friday, and parents will now be consulted on recommendations to a county council cabinet meeting on 12 December.

The first phase of the consultation process, which began on 19 October, ended last Friday, and parents will now be consulted on recommendations to a county council cabinet meeting on 12 December.

Ms Curtis said the early years service had faced criticism for not involving parents in the first phase of discussions, but this was because the Government's guidelines for phase two of the children's centre programme emerged later than anticipated.

She said that in the first phase the county had been able to finance the building of new centres, as Sure Start capital funding was available, while refurbishing existing buildings was more likely in the second phase as it had received only 3.9m each for capital and revenue plus 1m because Norfolk is a predominantly rural county.

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