A Nidderdale councillor has called for a children’s centre that is closing in Pateley Bridge to be repurposed by community organisation Nidd Plus.

Nidderdale Children’s Centre, based at St Cuthbert’s Primary School in the town, is one of five Sure Start centres North Yorkshire Council will close following a public consultation over spring.

The centre opened in opened September 2010 and was backed by £590,715 of taxpayers’ money but it did not reopen after the pandemic.

The council estimates it will save £13,400 a year in running costs by closing the building and North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative executive met yesterday to rubber-stamp a report that recommended the five closures.

Nidderdale Children’s Centre was based at St Cuthbert’s school.

However, during the meeting Andrew Murday, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale, intervened to tell councillors Nidd Plus has a plan to use the space for “multi-generational” support services.

Nidd Plus currently has a hub in the town which includes a small library, a desk for council and police matters and a tourist information point.

It also provides transport for residents so they can attend support centres outside of Nidderdale.

Cllr Murday said:

“The centre at St Cuthbert’s school is a very large room. I visited it last week. It’s not been used at the moment and nor will the school find any use for it in the future. There’s a facility there that could be used.”

The councillor said if Nidd Plus were to take over the space it could offer a much larger library for residents and it would also be able to offer some support services in the town without the need for residents to travel long distances.

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He added:

“We have the support of Nidd Plus to develop the centre. At the current time the library facility is tiny but this room and building offers opportunities to expand those services.

“Nidd Plus is providing transport for all sorts of people to go as far as Harrogate to access day centres. If we’re allowed to use this centre it would be a great opportunity to provide a daily multi-generational service. I commend Nidd Plus for bringing forward a plan to use this in a way that would benefit our community throughout Nidderdale.”

In response, the council’s corporate director of children and young people’s service,  Stuart Carlton, said the council would be “more than happy” to speak with Nidd Plus about the building’s future.

Michael Harrison, the Conservative executive councillor for health and adult services, said the closure of the children’s centre “shouldn’t prevent costed plans coming forward” about the future of the building.

Cllr Harrison added:

“I know from personal experience what a good community anchor organisation Nidd Plus are.

“I know the decision today doesn’t stop plans coming forward. They have to be robust but there’s nothing stopping them coming forward.”