Plans for two more children’s centres in £2.4m scheme

7:00pm Tuesday 28th October 2008

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TWO more new children’s centres are proposed for Bournemouth as the final part of a £2.4 million programme.

The first stage would be to develop a children’s centre as part of the redevelopment of the sport and rugby club facilities in the playing fields on Iford Lane.

And the second is to build the other centre within the redevelopment of the former bingo hall in Wimborne Road in Winton.

Bournemouth Borough Council say these plans form the final phase of Bournemouth’s children’s centre development programme, which is designed to fulfil the government’s vision to create a centre in every community by 2011.

Seven children’s centres have already been developed in Bournemouth as part of the programme. These are in Boscombe, Kinson and West Howe, Townsend, Queen’s Park, Southbourne, Stokewood and Kingsleigh.

Bournemouth has now received a grant of £642,713 capital funding to complete the final phase of the programme.

The proposals will go before cabinet next month and members will be asked to support plans to use the funding to create two new centres and to provide additional facilities for the current centres in north Bournemouth and Townsend.

Further proposed projects to be funded include working with libraries and housing landlord services to create a children’s centre facility within the lottery-funded rebuild of Kinson Library.

Cllr Malcolm Davies, cabinet member for children and families services, said: “The children’s centres that have already opened as part of the programme are proving popular with local people and provide an excellent range of services to support young children and their families.”

Children’s centres offer pre-school children and their families access to a range of support and services, including early years education and childcare and health services.