Children’s club is safe from cuts, council says

Pic: fiskfisk, Flikr

Tower Hamlets Council has said there are no plans to close a children’s club in Victoria Park, following rumours that it will be axed as part of cuts.

The One O’clock Club is a free playgroup for parents with children. Rumours emerged that the club would be closed after the council announced it is reviewing the services provided for children, schools and families because of budget cuts and refurbishment work in the park.

As a result, the Victoria Park Friends Group (VPFG) started an online petition to prevent the council closing the club.

One comment on the VPFG’s Facebook group said: “What’s this I hear about the One O’clock Club closing? Apparently the new building in the V&A playground is not ‘fit for purpose’. And so, apparently, they are trying to close the club altogether; not even keep it where it is.”

Emily Blackshaw, Tower Hamlets’ Communications Advisor, told EastLondonLines: “The One O’clock Club in Victoria Park is still running. We are, however, looking at whether we continue to run this particular club from the same building, or move it to another, more suitable venue at a location close by.”

Discussions are ongoing and service-users’ views will be taken into account before any plans are made, she added.

On Monday the VPFG held a meeting at the One O’clock Club to allay fears and inform parents of the Council’s decisions.

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