Staff and parents from one of 26 children’s centres threatened with closure in Birmingham will go to Downing Street today and urge the Government to keep them open.

A delegation of ten teachers, staff, parents and priests from local churches will urge Ministers to save Lakeside Children’s centre, in Kingstanding, Erdington.

They will hand over a petition, as well as letters written by parents, at the door to Number 10.

The centre, which serves one of the poorest wards in the country, is just one of 26 across Birmingham which the city council has announced is set to close.

Birmingham City Council says it is creating “a fairer system for providing early years services for children and families” which brings together health and education services for young children and pregnant women in centres across the city.

But local Labour MPs say the changes have been forced on the authority as a result of Government spending cuts.

Central government funding for Birmingham, including business rates, has fallen by £420 million between 2010-11 and 2017-18.

It means the city is struggling to maintain its 70-strong network of Children’s Centres. Nationwide, 1,241 designated Sure Start Children’s Centres have been lost since 2010.

Birmingham Labour MP Jack Dromey (Lab Erdington), Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner and Tim Roache, General Secretary of the GMB, will be joining the delegation from Lakeside Children’s centre in Downing Street.

Mr Dromey said: “Children’s Centres give kids the best possible start in life. They are a lifeline to struggling children and parents from poorer backgrounds. It is scandalous that Lakeside in Wyrley Birch in Kingstanding, one of the poorest wards in Britain should now be facing closure.

“If Lakeside and other Children’s Centre’s were to close, the local community would suffer as a result. Vulnerable families would lose trusted advice and support from experienced staff.”

Birmingham City Council has launched a consultation about the plans which continues until August 17.

The children’s centres at risk of closure:

  • Four Dwellings – Edgbaston

  • Lillian de Lissa and Belgravia – Edgbaston

  • Shenley Fields – Edgbaston

  • Barney’s – Erdington

  • Lakeside – Erdington

  • Osborne – Erdington

  • Pype Hays – Erdington

  • Anderton Park – Hall Green

  • Hall Green (Gospel Oak) – Hall Green

  • Job Marston – Hall Green

  • Muath – Hall Green

  • Park Road – Hall Green

  • Adderly – Hodge Hill

  • Washwood Heath – Hodge Hill

  • Bordesly Village – Hodge Hill

  • Six Ways – Hodge Hill

  • Summerfield – Hodge Hill

  • Kings Norton Camp Lane – Northfield

  • Merrishaw – Northfield

  • Weoley Castle – Northfield

  • Maypole – Selly Oak

  • Reameadow – Selly Oak

  • Bush Babies – Sutton Coldfield

  • Four Oakes – Sutton Coldfield

  • The Deanery – Sutton Coldfield

  • Bordesley Green East - Yardley