A PETITION calling on Wiltshire Council to drop plans to close Malmesbury’s only children’s centre, has gained nearly 100 signatures overnight.

The petition was started by Amy Davis, a parent of two children who have used the centre and its services in the past.

Due to cuts to council funding half of the children’s centres in Wiltshire are to be closed, with the services they offer being moved out into other community spaces.

Amy hopes the petition will make the council realise that it is an issue local people care deeply about.

“The centre offers a base for you to talk to professionals and seek help,” she said.

“You deal with the same people who will look to help you out and you meet other mums in a similar situation.

“The staff have also been very warm and welcoming; the centre has done a lot for the community.”
The council is holding a series of public consultations and meetings before a final decision is to be made. Amy attended the first consultation that took place on Monday (8) but was not impressed by the council’s proposals.

“The gist from my end was that they were trying to get away with offering the minimum amount of services they could get away with,” said Amy.

“It’s not fair on the children that they’re aiming for the minimum; they should be trying to do as much as they can.”

For many, the closure of the children’s centre seems like a done deal, however council representatives have stated this is not the case and residents will have their voices heard.
Amy is hoping the petition doesn’t fall on deaf ears.

“Ideally they take it seriously,” she said. “It shows it’s not just the people who made the first meeting who are unhappy.

“People don’t want to lose the centre; people care about this.

“I’m not under any illusions that it will send crashing waves into council, but we must do anything we can to help. There are resources people care about.”

Lee Goodship from Malmesbury was one of those who signed the petition.

He said: “I'm signing because before we moved back to Malmesbury our son went to one in Bristol and it was the best thing to have happened to help him on his journey through school.

“It is an amazing service that should be saved for the young children in the area, to help them like they did for our son.”

To sign the petition CLICK HERE.