SureStart centres 'not shut'
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
The Department for Education was today accused by councils of issuing misleading information about SureStart centre closures.
In response to a Freedom of Information request by the News Statesman, the DfE said that 31 centres had been shut down since May 2010 - more than half in London boroughs.
However the London councils concerned insisted that they had not closed any centres.
Redbridge Council, which was said to have shut seven SureStart centres, said none had been closed although the management of five of them had been merged. It said it was now taking up the matter with the DfE.
Greenwich Council - which was said to have closed five centres - said it was "scandalous" that the DfE had supplied information which was "completely inaccurate". It said no centres in the borough had been shut.
The New Statesman said it had also been contacted by Wandsworth, which was said to have closed four centres, and Hackney, which was said to have shut two, to say they also had not closed any centres.
PA
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments