Conservative Councillors have criticised a decision by a leading Labour Councillor to block a request for Scrutiny of her colleagues’ decision to close 6 Children’s Centres across Coventry.
Labour Members of the Cabinet decided on Tuesday 10th July 2012 to press ahead with their proposal to close Children’s Centres in Cheylesmore, Coundon, Earlsdon, Finham, Whoberley & Wyken. The next week Conservative Councillors submitted a request for the decision to be scrutinised by the Scrutiny Co-Ordination Committee.
After a lengthy period of dithering it has now been confirmed that the Labour Councillor who Chairs the Scrutiny Co-Ordination Committee has decided to block the request for her party’s decision to be scrutinised. As a result the six Children’s Centres will now close on 31st August 2012.
Cllr Hazel Noonan (Con, Cheylesmore) said: “The decision to block this call in, along with the lengthy delay in doing so, is an example of a Labour Councillor desperately looking for reasons to prevent a discussion of her colleagues’ decision. Only a few weeks ago the Labour Party was distributing leaflets in Cheylesmore claiming they would support our children’s centre, yet the truth is they had already decided to close it.”
“Wednesday’s meeting of Scrutiny Co-ordination could have provided a perfect opportunity to look at whether an alternative option could have been followed. I am very disappointed in Labour’s attitude to Cheylesmore where they can find time to discuss their Councillor’s trip to India at that meeting, but not the future of its Children’ Centre.”