Suffolk has missed out on new children’s centre (otherwise known as family hubs) funding, despite a decade’s worth of widespread closures.

In 2010, Suffolk had nearly 50 full-time centres, but this has been reduced by around two-thirds after two rounds of cuts in 2015 and 2020. Nationwide, more than 1,000 children’s centres have been lost.

Today, Rishi Sunak announced that 75 areas would be receiving funding for re-branded ‘family hubs’. However, despite the brutal cuts to Suffolk’s children’s centres over the past decade, the county won’t be receiving a penny more in funding, just weeks after also missing out on additional ‘levelling up’ money.

Jack Abbott, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Ipswich, said:

“Suffolk has badly suffered from the closure of so many children’s centres, with only around a third remaining open full-time compared to 2010. Nationwide, well over 1,000 children’s centres have been cut since the Conservatives took power over a decade ago.

“The latest Conservative Prime Minister’s promise that he will deliver 75 new ‘family hubs’ is just a drop in the ocean compared to what has been lost.

“Yet, despite closing so many children’s centres over the past decade, the Conservatives won’t be giving Suffolk a penny more in funding.

“That means no new facilities to support children and families unless Suffolk County Council reverses their brutal cuts. Our county forgotten, yet again.

“Sure Start was never safe with the Conservatives and it never will be.”