Still no decision on funding for Leamington and Warwick children’s centres

Professor Paul Bywaters, pictured right, who chairs a special advisory group on SureStart, admits he has some sympathy for council officers having to implement central government cuts which they may privately oppose.

But he insists: “The work done by staff at these six centres is too important to children’s futures - and the future of the country - for me not to speak out.”

In London a High Court judge has quashed a decision taken by inner city local authorities intending to cut £10 million from their £26.4 million grants package to voluntary organisations.

Mr Justice Calvert-Smith ruled the cuts amounted to “significant changes” and an early consultation process had been flawed and needed to be re-run to assess the full impact on gender, disability and race equality.

Professor Bywaters believes this legal ruling could set a precedent because any cut of more than ten per cent to the SureStart programme in Leamington and Warwick would represent “significant changes” for local families.

In February he asked to be involved in any consultation process ahead of any budget decision but was told none was taking place.

A county council spokesman said: “The grant-funded budgets have not yet been set but we are aware of the current legal position. We are trying to protect the children’s centres as far as possible. Elected members will decide on the final budgets in mid-March.”