Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed

Thirty one Sure Start centres have closed since the election, despite David Cameron’s pre-election pledges and post-election promises the centres would be protected. Freedom of Information requests by the New Statesman to the Department for Education reveal seven centres are being shut in Redbridge, five in Greenwich, four in Wandsworth and two in Hackney

Save-our-Sure-Start In keeping with coalition ideology, the cuts to Sure Start funding, the NS reveals, are hitting the poorest areas the hardest.

In Tower Hamlets, Knowsley and Hackney – where centres have already been closed – it is being cut by £100 a year; in wealthier areas like Richmond, Buckinghamshire and Surrey, meanwhile, cuts amount to just £30 a child.

On the eve of the election, on the very day before voters went to the polls, David Cameron said:

“Yes, we back Sure Start. It’s a disgrace that Gordon Brown has been trying to frighten people about this. He’s the prime Mmnister of this country but he’s been scaring people about something that really matters.

“Not only do we back Sure Start, but we will improve it, because at the moment the people who need Sure Start the most – disadvantaged families – are not getting enough of the benefit. So we’ll contract independent organisations that have a proven track record in helping families, such as Lifeline and Homestart, to run children’s centres and reach out to those families who need that extra support.

“What’s more, our plan for 4,200 new Sure Start health visitors will give families expert reinforcements at the time when they need them most.”

While in March this year, he told PMQs:

“We have maintained the money for sure start. We have maintained the money for children’s centres… The budget is going up.”

That’s right, he claimed the budget was going up. The cold, heartless reality, for those whose Sure Start centres have been slashed by George Osbore, suggests otherwise.

See also:

• Cameron betrays 60,000 families as 250 Sure Start centres set to shut – Will Straw, January 28 2011

Share | Permalink | Comments: 48

http://twitter.com/bipolarbearmd/status/96234583208636416 TheBiPolarBearMD

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/thefworduk/status/96234590972280833 The F-Word

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/incurablehippie/status/96234598052274177 Philippa

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/mmichael0/status/96234602359828481 Michael Turner

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/kaalgroup/status/96234644789399552 KAAL Group

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/adpucci/status/96234868886876160 Pucci Dellanno

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/benadrylbrownie/status/96235805080694785 Chris Gill

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/ladyroisin/status/96236222556536832 LadyRoisin

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/marcuscurrntbun/status/96236424008970241 Marcus M Curran

RT @leftfootfwd Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/allyyoungwatch/status/96236555575894016 J. Gunner

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/ihatehackney/status/96237212487786497 Rose Ville

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/climbfaster/status/96237614851563520 caroline oakshett

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/brianmyriesalsa/status/96238100711342081 Brian Myrie

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/fromthesham/status/96238207414439937 FromTheSham

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/joealane/status/96238251140055040 Joe Lane

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/nuf7klc
http://twitter.com/keeleymp/status/96238789009215488 Barbara Keeley

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/leemcivor/status/96238983704621056 Lee McIvor

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/amtstevens/status/96239336164564992 Anne Stevens

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/dannycgray/status/96239349145944064 Danny Gray

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/tallulahpenny/status/96240329954557952 Clare Penny-Evans

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/justclark1/status/96240993648640000 Justin Clark

As predictable as it is cruel RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/melodytreasure/status/96243011339558912 melody treasure

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/ianblease/status/96243223797825537 ian blease

RT @leftfootfwd Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/stu_pot2/status/96245408271052800 Stuart Rodger

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/philjneal/status/96245694041571330 Philip Neal

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/godonlyknows19/status/96246107478310912 jamie pritchard

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/leicesterrtw/status/96247437177536512 Leics Right To Work

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/macinpoole/status/96255041945608193 malcolm

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/ldtuc/status/96256296025735168 L DTUC

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/cctheatreco/status/96256764634337280 Claire Moore

@thefworduk @leftfootfwd Another broken Tory promise: 31 SureStart centres have closed http://t.co/5IcmvPt reports @ShamikDas this is awful
http://twitter.com/orbyuk/status/96258461226119168 Dave

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/d1s0bey/status/96267880504635392 Martin Crozier

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/avichai15/status/96283149297909760 Paul McGlynn

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/d02cir2
http://twitter.com/jonathanpsadler/status/96285650504007680 Jonathan Sadler

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/paulmgleeson/status/96327213925937152 Paul Gleeson

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed | Left Foot Forward: http://t.co/16FZiQj via @addthis
http://twitter.com/cllrkrichards/status/96344726306951169 Kevin Richards

Yet another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/izqfvlJ
http://twitter.com/free2sayso/status/96503629925711872 Garry Howes

Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed: http://bit.ly/rc9LLP reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/georgereadings/status/96504238066245632 George Readings

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/ZacTf6S
http://twitter.com/free2sayso/status/96505155708661761 Garry Howes

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/ZacTf6S
Nemo omeN

RT @leftfootfwd: Another broken Tory promise: 31 Sure Start centres have already closed http://t.co/ZacTf6S
http://www.twitter.com/CandWCLP Niki Rosenbaum

Does anyone happen to know if any of the 31 centres are in areas under Lib Dem council control? Our LD MP assured us this would not happen and I’d love to go back to him with proof that he’s misled his constituents and for us to campaign on this point in our area…
http://twitter.com/alphaparent/status/101698245184602113 Alpha Parent

Another broken #Tory promise: 31 #SureStart centres have already closed http://t.co/XpYmJlt
http://twitter.com/xxmishiexx/status/101706290836938753 Michelle Fisher

Another broken #Tory promise: 31 #SureStart centres have already closed http://t.co/XpYmJlt
http://twitter.com/katefay77/status/101710860233347074 Kate Fay

“@AlphaParent: Another broken #Tory promise: 31 #SureStart centres have already closed http://t.co/Uxz6mVc” boo
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/09/david-cameron-ed-miliband-prime-ministers-questions-14-09-11/ Fees, cuts… Is this what Cameron means by “giving young people back their future”? | Left Foot Forward

[...] record youth unemployment, Tory councils charging for poor kids to access playgrounds, cuts to Sure Start, cuts to free school meals… None of these will have made any difference to a young David [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/09/aspiration-cubed/ Gove is the roadblock to Burnham’s calls of aspiration | Left Foot Forward

[...] record youth unemployment, Tory councils charging poor kids to access playgrounds, cuts to Sure Start, and cuts to free school meals, the Labour plan for aspiration for the youth involves making the [...]
http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/125933902090084352 Shamik Das

@alexhern @trouse11 Sure Start – that cd b the headline story. http://t.co/RbF5zshg http://t.co/3pEmVzle http://t.co/yhDmQJiR
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/sarah-teather-education-questions-sure-start/ Teflon Teather dodges the key question about Sure Start | Left Foot Forward

[...] a thing – because it isn’t true. As Left Foot Forward has shown, 31 sure start centres had closed by July, and with 83 per cent of councils cutting funding, that number is sure to [...]