Families say they “will be lost” if services, including the weekly youth club, can no longer be provided at Millmead Children’s Centre due to Kent County Council plans to withdraw funding.
Around 30 youngsters, aged 8-15, attend the youth club which is just one of several lifeline services provided at the centre on Dane Valley Road.
KCC is currently running a public consultation on its plan to save £426,000 by not renewing contracts for commissioned services at Millmead centre and Seashells in Sheerness when they end in March 2025.
Some £220,000 is spent on services at Millmead and this makes up around half of the centre’s annual funding. The rest of the centre’s income is government funding for nursery provision.
Axing funding for commissioned services will impact those that remain, says Chair of Millmead Children’s Centre Partnership Limited, (MCCPL) Jan Collins.
Jan, who has run the centre for some 23 years, said: “(The youth club) is one of the services that will be closed because we will not have the staff to do it.
“We are a commissioned service, so a provider for KCC, and if they remove that money we will close.
“We have two big contracts, KCC for community services such as child protection and family support, and the second from the Kent education people with central government funding for nurseries. That is not a KCC commissioned service but might be lost as a consequence (of the funding cut).
“If we can’t afford to run the building no-one will be able to use it. The youth club regularly has 29 to 30 children attend, it is the only one open for this community and if it is closed there will be absolutely nothing.
“My concern is that if they take away contracted services it will put pressure on other services based here because we will not be able to afford to keep the building going on our own, The big issue is to find a way out of that so we can continue to support our community.”
The Millmead youth club has been running since 2004, meaning many of those who attended now have children who go along each week.
The alternative provision is at centres in Margate High Street or Cliftonville but that involves the cost of travel and, in the winter months, means youngsters making their way home in the dark.
Jamie Fairhurst, partner Nicky Turner and children Faith, 15, and Michael, 13, and their neighbour Sophie, 11, were among those at the Millmead centre today (September 17).
Faith has used the youth club for the last two years and previously attended nursery at the site. She said: “They help me with my anxiety and when I am feeling stressed, it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
Michael wrote down his feelings about the possible closure of the centre and youth club. He said: “If Sure Start was to close it would be very sad because they help so many families from the Millmead estate, our family being one of them.
“On many occasions they have supported my mum when she was going through tough times. I have also been a part of the youth group, which I really enjoyed.”
Nicky, 38, was a cleaner at the centre before having to give up her job due to ill-health. She said: “I have been using this place for 15 years and on many occasions they were here for me. I will be lost without it.”
Jamie, 44, added: “It is a good resource for families. If you have got needs or concerns, clothing needs, money worries, anything, the people here will will help with the best advice possible.
“The amount of other people you see here, it’s more a community than a centre, it is an integral hub for the whole community.”
Jamie says the cost of living is one barrier to having to travel to use other centres and that would still mean a loss of familiarity and safety.
He said: “This is at the bottom of Dane Valley, everyone knows where it is. There are lots of family homes nearby and cameras, you know they (children) are safe.”
Jamie said his family have made their views clear and when Thanet council Cabinet members visited last week some 500 people turned out to have their say.
Mum-of-six Kristie Shirley has been using services at the centre for a decade and three of her children are youth club regulars.
The 37-year-old said: “It’s like a safe place for the kids, somewhere to come that’s not home or school but just somewhere they can just feel free.
“They have fun and love meeting people and being involved in all the events. They went to nursery here and I have been using the centre for 10 years. They have been a big support to me and to the kids.
“It’s a lifeline for me. They helped diagnose my son with autism and they have helped me at my lowest, I have been to early help here for some issues and they have been a big support.
“The closest other centre is the Six Bells (Margate) and you have to go through Dane Park to get there and that’s not always nice. I drive but other people don’t.
“You have access here, you can turn up and there will be someone to help you.
“There is also the food pantry with Fareshare, the kids love it and we got food that I wouldn’t necessarily buy so they have been able to try different foods.
“It will be a very sad loss (if it shuts). Everyone who works here becomes your friend, it is very good support especially for people who do not have a support network.”
The Millmead centre was visited by 15,810 people from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. The food pantry is used by 36 families on a regular basis.
Ward councillors Jack Packman, Ruth Duckworth and Martin Boyd are among those hoping to save the Millmead centre.
Cllr Packman said the KCC consultation is misleading because it tells residents the funding withdrawal is only for commissioned services without acknowledging how that will impact remaining services.
Cllr Packman said: “The reason Jan and her team make those other services happen is because they have the money from KCC. Without that money all the services will disappear.”
Thanet council Cabinet members visited the centre, which is TDC owned, last week. They are looking at ways Thanet council might be able to pick up some of the costs.
Cllr Packman said: “The Cabinet is looking at different ways to try and support Millmead. There is money in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that could help support costs of repairs and revenue funding but it all depends on whether KCC removes its money.”
For Jan Collins saving all services is the aim and she says Thanet council is being supportive of the campaign.
She added: “There are no other such facilities in the area and families cannot afford to travel, given the level of absolute poverty in the Dane Valley area. The Kent County Council, (KCC), proposal is for the closure of some services that we deliver. This will mean the closure of our Youth Group due to the overall loss of income.
“I am trying to stop that closure.”
If KCC’s proposals go ahead families will be expected to use Margate Family Hub (formerly Six Bells), Northdown Road Family Hub (formerly known as Quarterdeck) and Cliftonville Family Hub (formerly Children’s Centre) to access KCC funded services.
The Millmead centre has 27 staff and seven volunteers whose roles are likely to be under threat.
The Family Hub services under the KCC commissioned contract include Baby Massage • Breastfeeding Clinic • Breast Pump Hire • Cygnet • Healthy Baby Group • Introducing Solids, • Little Explorers • Little Talkers • Stay and Play • Triple P Parenting Course* • You and Your Baby • 1-2-1 Family Work.
Services not funded by KCC are Book Library, Cost of Living Advice, Citizens Advice Service, Food Bank/Community Pantry, Garden Club, Health Visiting (including Developmental Checks and Healthy Child clinics) Midwifery Clinics, Nursery, One You, Youth Club and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Drop In.
There are now just a few days left to respond to KCC’s consultation which closes on September 22.
Have your say
For full details of the proposal and to have your say visit: www.kent.gov.uk/familyhubsconsultation
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