Parents and former users of Maida Vale play centre have made clear their opposition to Westminster City Council’s plans to do away with their much-loved facility. The Centre has provided generations of children with after-school and holiday care in Paddington Recreation Ground, but Westminster’s re-development of the park has left it under threat.

Westminster has been failing its play service for years, with a combination of under-investment and a botched price hike which drove large numbers of low-income families away. Now the Council says that there is ‘not enough demand’, but the need is there, amongst working families and very low income families whose children would also benefit. The problem is the lack of subsidy, an over-reliance upon tax credits, which do not deliver as well in Central London as in the rest of the country, and poor promotion.

Westminster must maintain the Play Centre, review patterns of use. extend holiday services and take immediate steps to increase take-up of places. The government has invested millions of pounds in child care locally. Now Westminster needs to do its part.