Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ealing’s Lib Dems have triggered a formal review of the Labour Council’s plan to close or repurpose 10 of 25 children’s centres, citing public concern.
Last week (June 11, 2025), the council’s cabinet made a contentious decision that has caused a stir among opposition council members, local parents, and childcare providers.
To compel more investigation, the Liberal Democrats used their council powers to call in the decision. At its meeting next month (3 July 2025), the council’s oversight and scrutiny committee is expected to postpone the closures and return the topic to cabinet for further consideration.
With special attention to the loss of services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the planned changes would drastically diminish early years provision. Facilities at Windmill in Greenford, as well as Hathaway and Log Cabin centers in Ealing, are in danger.
Many people are worried about the borough’s family services’ future, as seen by the over 2,000 signatures on a community-led petition against the cutbacks. Three centers may now be spared as a result of the campaign’s partial U-turn.
Councillor Jonathan Oxley, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for children’s services, said:
“Liberal Democrats say that Ealing Labour’s consultation on closing children centres has been shameful. They baked cost savings from closing them into their Council budget while the consultation was still open.
Now they’re ignoring the overwhelming opposition from parents and childcare professionals in the consultation, by pressing on with their reckless policy of closing ten of our precious children centres.”
An Ealing Council spokesperson previously told EALING.NEWS:
“Children’s centres provide vital services for families and are cornerstones of the community, but the current set up is not working. We have 25 centres, but despite increased demand for statutory children’s services, not all families who could benefit are using them.”
He added that supporting their most vulnerable residents is a top priority for them, and their aim with the children’s centres is to design a service more tailored to our families’ needs and move services into the community to better reach those who may need their help, while retaining the largest number of children’s centres in London.
The goal is to reach more families, earlier, with better support, and while some centres will no longer operate in their current form, the services themselves are being enhanced, with all seven towns seeing an increase in children’s centre activity following the changes.
They have worked closely with the community throughout this process, engaged with over 2,000 residents, and have adapted plans based on what they have heard. They remain open to ongoing dialogue with all community stakeholders.
What are the reasons for Lib Dems forcing a review?
Parents, community organizations, and opposition council members have strongly opposed the closures, claiming that they will limit access to essential services like speech therapy, antenatal care, and early childhood support, especially for families who are already at risk.
Critics express worries that the accessibility, safety, and diversity of services may be compromised if community or religious spaces are used in place of children’s centers.
The Liberal Democrats have referred to the closures as “shameful” and demanded a comprehensive review to guarantee that there is still enough space for children’s centers as required by law.
They urge the council to reevaluate the effects on families and young children before making decisions, stressing the value of community involvement and accountability.