Save children's centres in Sheffield, demo 19 January 2013, photo Nigel Newton-Smith (Click to enlarge)

Stop Sheffield children's centre closures

Despite the cold and snow, around 500 protesters marched and demonstrated against Sheffield council's plans to shut half the children's centres in the city.

At the rally outside the town hall, parents and workers from the centres condemned the council plans.

Organisers pointed to the size of the protest despite the weather conditions as a sign of the anger felt across the city.

More than a dozen Socialist Party members participated, collecting signatures not just on the children's centres but also on the party's demand for the council to set a 'needs' budget and fight the government.

The next stage is a lobby of the council on Wednesday, when a petition on the children's centres will be presented. Over 8,000 have now signed the petition, forcing a full council debate.

Jeremy Short

Around 500 also marched on Saturday in north Sheffield against the proposed closure of Stocksbridge Leisure Centre. The fight against the council cuts in Sheffield has now started for real.

This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 21 January 2013 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.

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