West Sussex County Council have a proposal going forward to the Children & Young People’s Services Committee on the 7th January to decimate services across the Horsham District and the wider county.

Horsham District Family Centres which are earmarked for closure include those in Billingshurst, Storrington, Roffey, Pulborough and Southwater.

Children and Family Care Centres across West Sussex will be reduced from 43 to 11.

Youth and Find it Out Youth Centres will be reduced from 11 to 0.

This will result in up to 50 redundancies across the county.

The proposal leaves Horsham District with 1 Children and Family Care Centre in the Needles covering a popoulation of 144k over an area of 204 sq miles.

This removal of vital services is in response to the £107m 3 year funding deficit caused by failures at county and national level to manage the pandemic and the economic consequences resulting in increased costs and reduced revenues for the county council.

These centres are an invaluable asset to our local families providing health care and advice for children and parents on both physical and mental health issues amongst a huge number of other important services. Closing them would be a huge disservice to our parents and children and put added pressure on already overstretched gp surgeries. 

Please sign this petition and help protect our Children and Family Centres!