25 signatures reached
To: Bolton Council
Give Communities Designated Space in Children's Centres
Communities across Bolton are asking for a proportionately designated space for all local voluntary community groups to made available to them in the now soon to be closing children's centres.
Why is this important?
Local communities have had to grudgingly accept the council's recent decision to close 13 Children's Centres in Bolton due to cut backs.
Now they have been told that they are going to be handed to schools to manage. Local communities have even accepted this, but are asking for a designated community space within those centres, which some Headteachers are now opposing!
We request that all Children’s Centres that are to be handed over to schools in Bolton must have written in their agreements, with the council in the handover process that:
a) There should be an identified designated space within those Children’s Centres specifically for local constituted voluntary sector groups in the immediate area of those Centres.
b) ‘The designated community space’ should be made accessible at all times to the local community groups and be managed by them.
We cannot let local communities be completely robbed of yet another community asset in the heart of their communities! One school Headteacher has gone to the extreme of actively trying to divide communities and is threatening years of community cohesion in order not to share a children's centre with local communities. People like this should be disciplined. 'Sharing is caring!'
Now they have been told that they are going to be handed to schools to manage. Local communities have even accepted this, but are asking for a designated community space within those centres, which some Headteachers are now opposing!
We request that all Children’s Centres that are to be handed over to schools in Bolton must have written in their agreements, with the council in the handover process that:
a) There should be an identified designated space within those Children’s Centres specifically for local constituted voluntary sector groups in the immediate area of those Centres.
b) ‘The designated community space’ should be made accessible at all times to the local community groups and be managed by them.
We cannot let local communities be completely robbed of yet another community asset in the heart of their communities! One school Headteacher has gone to the extreme of actively trying to divide communities and is threatening years of community cohesion in order not to share a children's centre with local communities. People like this should be disciplined. 'Sharing is caring!'
