Senior management at Sure Start Speke have been targeted personally and professionally since 30 November last year, according to a spokesman for solicitors Brabners Chaffe Street, representing Speke Sure Start, and the comments were 'highly defamatory, offensive and damaging'.
In a statement, Brabners Chaffe Street said, 'We are instructed to bring proceedings against the author(s) publishing material on the blog and to have that material removed. Legal action brought to vindicate reputations of individuals and an organisation which has been maliciously and falsely attacked is necessary for the continued success of Sure Start Speke.' It added, 'Sure Start would confidently welcome any investigation into the way the facility is run.'
This was confirmed by Sure Start Speke programme manager Susan Roberts, who said the team had a solid reputation in the community and had built strong links with local health services and schools. She said schemes such as parent mentoring have been a success, and a healthy eating project, Can Cook, Will Cook, is being developed in partnership with South Liverpool Primary Care Trust.