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<p>Local authorities have a duty to ensure there are sufficient centres to meet local
need; and a duty to consult where changes are planned to local children’s centre provision.</p><p>As
at 31 October 2016 there were 3,259 main children’s centres and sites open to families
and children providing children's centre services as part of a network. Children’s
centre records are maintained by local authorities and are made publicly available
via the department’s “EduBase portal” at: <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/home.xhtml"
target="_blank">http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/home.xhtml</a>.</p><p>Based on
the information supplied by local authorities the numbers of centres closed year by
year is given in the table below:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar Year</p></td><td><p>Number
of children’s centres closed by year</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>12[1]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>33[2]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>85[3]</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>156[4]</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>The totals for 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 have been adjusted since replies to
previous questions 3237 <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-18/3237/"
target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-18/3237/</a>;
and 38640 <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-26/38640/"
target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-26/38640/</a>.</p><p>
</p><p>[1] The total number of children’s centres closed in 2011 is three higher than
previously reported due to a local authority reporting in 2016 that three centres
listed as open on Edubase had been closed in 2011</p><p>[2] The total number of children’s
centres closed in 2013 is one higher than previously reported due to a local authority
reporting in 2016 that a centre listed as open on Edubase had been closed in 2013</p><p>[3]
The total number of children’s centres closed in 2014 is two higher than previously
reported due to a local authority reporting in 2016 that two centres listed as open
on Edubase had actually closed in 2014</p><p>[4] The total number of children’s centres
closed in 2015 is 12 higher than previously reported due to five local authorities
reporting closures that took place in 2015 in 2016.</p>
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