Council services provided at Dovecot Multi Activity Centre (MAC) in Liverpool are set to transfer to other buildings in the area, if a proposal to close the site is approved.
The Mayor’s Cabinet is being asked to give permission to close the building – home to a children’s centre and library – at the end of November, because the council can no longer afford to subsidise the net cost of £264,000 a year.
Staff and services at Dovecot Children’s Centre – a satellite of Yewtree Children’s Centre – will continue to be delivered across the local area through existing community venues, including schools.
The Library – which has been under performing in recent years – has good public transport links to Old Swan Library 1.7 miles away. There is a Home Library Service available for people who live in Liverpool but cannot get to a library and have nobody to collect books on their behalf.
Figures show that the Children’s Centre costs four times as much to run as equivalent centres elsewhere in the city, while the library is twice as expensive as others.
Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Cabinet member for regeneration, said: “Sadly, due to the Government cutting our grant by more than half over six years, we are having to make some extremely difficult choices. We have already had to find £170 million of savings and have got a further £150 million to find over the next three years. This means we simply cannot afford to keep this building open.
“We will continue to deliver children’s centres services for youngsters, parents and carers in Dovecot at alternative buildings.”
The city council previously agreed to close the childcare facility at Dovecot MAC and this shuts at the end of September, with youngsters transferring to other nurseries in the area.
The Mayor’s Cabinet meets on September 27th to discuss the report.
