The number of designated Sure Start children’s centres in County Durham has fallen by 28 since the Tories came to power in 2010. Across the country over 1,200 centres have been lost.

In our area, that means that 65 percent of all designated Sure Start centres have been lost in less than a decade, while across the whole country more than one in every three centres has already been lost.

The Labour council has done everything that it can to protect these services, but with half of all government funding to the council cut since the Tories first took office in 2010, it is increasingly difficult to protect all services.

The data, revealed in an answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Labour’s Shadow Education Team shows the stark impact of reductions in council funding on services. Government support for councils has been cut in half since 2010.

Although the government say that the loss of services is not as bad as the headline figure shows, due to the increase in the number of “link sites” since 2010, these are widely seen as meaning a reduction in the services that are available for children and families.

Commenting, Grahame Morris MP said:

“Tory cuts to our council have had a devastating impact on our community, and some of the most important services have been lost.

“With every Sure Start centre lost to this reckless austerity the families in our community are unable to access the support that they need.

“In next month’s Budget, the Chancellor must commit to giving Sure Start the sustainable, long term funding that it needs, to bring back these lost services.”