Two children's centres and a library are proposed to close in Aspley in Nottingham City Council's efforts to bridge a £28m funding gap. While a charity has moved out of a youth centre in light of what it described as an 'unsustainable rent increase' enforced by the council.
But parents living in Aspley said their children had been "left behind" with "nowhere to go". Their comments come after the Labour-run authority announced two children's in the suburb, in Amesbury Circus and Minver Crescent, were among a group of five centres which, subject to a consultation, could close to save money.
The city council, which has blamed a lack of central Government funding, had earmarked six centres for closure but revised this down following consultation. Aspley Library in Nuthall Road is proposed to shut along with the Radford Lenton and Basford libraries.
READ MORE: Nottingham children's centre closures 'letting down the most deprived'
All three of which have "low usage" at a high cost, the authority has said. And the plans, if they go ahead, are expected to save £233,000. But the proposals have triggered staunch objection from protestors and campaigners alike who have gathered outside the council's Loxley House HQ calling for the authority to reverse its intentions.
The council said the proposed libraries had some of the worst visitor numbers on its books. But Aspley has proven more in demand than the others earmarked for closure with 38,820 annual visits compared to 22,680 to Basford Library and 7,920 visits to the Radford and Lenton Library.
But it's the loss of YMCA services from the Aspley Youth Centre that represents the "final nail in the coffin" in the eyes of local families. Sarria Douglas, a 29-year-old mum-of-two who lives in Aspley, explained her children - aged eleven and eight - used to go to the Youth Centre in Melbourne Road.
"I feel like our children have been left behind. I do not think that education or childcare is being prioritised at the moment and the parents are really struggling," she said. "There are no childcare services in Aspley, nothing. You have to rely on childminders and it is just so hard to find them at the moment. Luckily I work from home at the moment."
The lease of the building to the YMCA expired in March last year. The charity initially said it would not renew the lease due to what it described as "an unsustainable rent increase". But a glimmer of hope later emerged as the charity carried out an internal review over whether it could feasibly buy the property from the council. But it wasn't to be.
Since running from Melbourne Park in 2005, YMCA said it had empowered community members and children of all ages to come together and enjoy fun youth activities from birthday parties to sports, adult fitness classes, training opportunities, bingo with access to mental health support. The council agreed for the YMCA to remain in the building until September as the YMCA's services transitioned.
But the council is marketing the lease of the centre for a tenant to take over. A listing on Rightmove advertises it as an opportunity to takeover a site with a multi-use sports hall, a ground floor studio and additional function space. The monthly rent is listed as £3,333 per month.
Ms Douglas also spoke of the wide cost of living crisis saying it was a worry to even afford childcare. "If you cannot afford sending your children somewhere else there is no future for them. It is a shame: libraries closing, children's centres and now the youth centre," she said.
Meanwhile, posters promoting a campaign protesting against the proposed closure of the city libraries, including the one in Aspley, were spread around the former YMCA building. It comes ahead of a council consultation meeting on Tuesday (March 29).
Other people, including mum-of-two Ann Hindley, said there wasn't enough provision in the local area for young people. The 55-year-old said: "My children are grown up now but it has not always been like this. It seems like it is getting harder and harder for the people around here.
"There are not enough places for children in Aspley. They have got nowhere to go. It is a real shame." Lola Matushi, 32, who runs a fish and chips store in Melbourne road, said the YMCA leaving the youth centre was the "final nail in the coffin".
The mum-of-one said: "We are going back to normal after Covid and lockdown - but what are we going back if there is nothing left for our children? There is not much to do. It is really sad for our children."
The city council's portfolio holder for finance and resources, councillor Sam Webster, said: “Final decisions in relation to the Nottingham library network and children’s centres haven’t yet been made. Both are the subject of live public consultations. We are doing all we can to protect as many existing community facilities as possible and continuing to invest in our neighbourhoods, including in Aspley.
“However it can’t be overstated the extent to which councils have borne the brunt of Government funding cuts over the past twelve years. In Nottingham our main Government grant is £100m a year less than it was – and cuts of that magnitude have serious consequences.
“Many councils felt they had no alternative but to close libraries and children’s centres years ago – something that we resisted because we know their importance to local communities and were keen to protect them. But after years of making savings to balance smaller and smaller budgets, we have fewer and fewer options of where we can make further savings."
He added: "These are still proposals that are open to live public consultation, so things could still change. The children’s centre proposals ensure that 86 percent of likely service users are within 30 minutes of a centre by public transport or 43 percent are within 20 minutes’ walk of a centre. And recently upgraded library facilities at Strelley Road are also nearby for Aspley residents.
“Setting a budget for the next four years provides some certainty and will mean that communities like Aspley will continue to have access to council services, but some may be delivered differently.” Nottinghamshire Live contacted the YMCA for comment.
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