Alton activity centre to close in Spring ending years of after school and holiday care

Councillor Jeremy Ambache collects signatures with Councillor Peter Carpenter

Alton Activity Centre, in the Roehampton regeneration area, has been run by a charity called Spurgeon's, but the contract will end in March 2016, after Wandsworth Council made the decision to end it in November 2011.

Kate Coughlan, assistant director of marketing and communications at Spurgeon's, said the charity was disappointed to see the centre's closure.

She said: "It is not just a playground or a safe space, but we have got evidence that showed it made a real positive impact on improving life for the children who went there.

"We do understand that there are financial pressures but the positive difference that the service made does matter.

"We are going to be paying for this socially and economically in the longer term."

Although the charity's contract was only for after-school and holiday provision, Ms Coughlan said the charity always aims to go beyond, which is why there was provision for Zumba lessons, cooking classes and advice workshops.

She said: "Over the summer, we were doing healthy-eating workshops and cookery classes and we had more than 200 people come to those groups and clinics.

"I hope that families in the local area will still get that easy access to advice when we are gone."

The future of staff at the centre is not yet clear.

Labour Councillor Jeremy Ambache who represents the Roehampton area said: "This is a short-sighted decision by the Council as these services are hugely valued by the local children and families.

"Highly skilled staff from Spurgeon’s offer a variety of services which meet the needs of children with considerable problems and difficulties.

"It takes time and costs money to build such a staff team offering effective services for children and families - and by closing down this will be lost.

"The decision has been taken hurriedly and was managed badly by the Council as it failed to involve local people including the three local councillors.

"The Alton is an area of high need where these family services in great demand.

"The services provided by Spurgeon's at this centre are a vital lifeline for many local children and families living in the area."

According to the council, the service was commissioned at a time when local authorities had ring-fenced grants to commission targeted support when schools did not, but the introduction of the pupil premium changes this.

Councillor Kathy Tracey, cabinet member for education and children's services said: "More schools are commissioning their own service directly or with support from others such as the Clinical Commissioning Group, who are funding further expansion of therapeutic services, such as Place2Be in schools.

"Both Heathmere and The Alton School provide childcare and other after school activity, whilst the voluntary sector group Regenerate.com are providing services for older children and this will continue.

"The Council has adopted the Troubled Families multi-agency model which takes a whole family approach to presenting issues and is able to work with children and young people of all ages.

"Rather than continuing with the outdated offer of more discrete standalone family support and diversionary activities, I feel strongly that Roehampton is better served by the expanded targeted and preventative family support model Troubled Families offers, linked to the wider Wandsworth early help offer and complemented by schools now well established role in using Pupil Premium resource for more targeted school-led and based interventions."

Coun Ambache said: "As part of the Regeneration programme the council had promised to help build up a stronger community and better services on the Alton Estate. Sadly by taking this decision close the current services the council is doing the exact opposite of what was promised.

"The council has an ambition, which has not been worked out in any detail to continue using this facility for children. But they do not know who will do this will be achieved.

"Also, they do not know how this will be funded.

"This decision to close this facility is quite irresponsible as it is squandering a well-used and well run provision.

"This decision by the Tories on the council shows that they know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

"This is an awful news to give at Christmas time to the children, parents and staff."

Speaking to the Wandsworth Guardian, coun Kathy Tracey said: "This is just scaremongering by these two labour councillors who are doing nothing but causing local families needless worry and concern.

"What’s happening here is the contact with Spurgeons is coming to an end. From April we will be working with local schools, charities and voluntary groups with the aim of providing a wide range of child and family friendly services at the centre."