Council plans to cut funding to ‘vital’ children's centre will ‘tear community apart’
The Millmead Family Hub in Margate could lose more than 50% of its funding as cash-strapped Kent County Council battle to balance their books
Gabriel Morris, Local Democracy Reporter has more
Gabriel Morris, Local Democracy Reporter has more
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00:00The future of Millmead Family Hub in Margate is under threat. For more than 20 years it's
00:05been a centre for parental, mental health and domestic abuse support. Kent County Council
00:11fund more than 50% of the operations here, but in a bid to save cash, they're looking
00:17at not renewing the contract.
00:19The Family Hub says if KCC don't extend their contract, well, the impacts are going to be
00:25huge. They say they have 27 paid staff and seven volunteers.
00:32Chloe is a single mother of three. She first came here as a child, but now works in the
00:36pantry. She says the Family Hub is crucial with it supporting her through her teenage
00:41pregnancy.
00:42I just feel like this building and everyone within it has been here for such a long time.
00:48It has become the heart of Millmead. Millmead has been a big area that's always looked down
00:55upon, it's always judged and it's really not as bad as anyone says it is. But here
01:01makes it warm, it makes it welcoming, it makes it homely.
01:05And how did you feel when you heard about this consultation?
01:08Yeah, I cried to my line manager. I think it would have a massive impact. There are
01:14so many families in this community that do rely on the centre for so many different reasons.
01:22Staff only found out about the consultation last week. KCC listing Millmead and another
01:28hub in Sheerness because they're externally managed and there are other hubs run by the
01:34authority nearby.
01:36I think one is 1.5 miles. I think that people misunderstand what poverty does. Very often
01:45they won't be able to do that because they're looking after their children and they're tired.
01:52Very few people have cars and the bus services are appalling here.
01:57Millmead's in Dane Valley, one of the highest areas for poverty in the whole of Kent.
02:02The cash-stripped authority says they don't want to close it, but by not renewing these
02:06contracts when they'll naturally come to an end in March 2025, we can make a much-needed
02:12efficiency saving whilst continuing to provide essential services for families and young
02:17people in these areas.
02:19They give £225,000 and that's a bargain because if this shuts, it's going to cost much more
02:27than that in safeguarding issues. It's going to cost the NHS millions of pounds because
02:33people, this is their first call if there's a problem.
02:38Even though there's a consultation, staff here believe a decision has already been made
02:42and they fear for the impact it'll have on the community, but are determined to get many
02:47locals and users to share their views.
02:50Gabriel Morris, in Margate.