Last year Kent County Council outlined plans to close 35 children’s centres under a far-reaching reorganisation to help plug a £165m backlog of estate maintenance. 

Many residents petitioned against the closures, including responding to a public consultation to save the vital services for children and other vulnerable groups. 

During this time, I was attending midwife appointments at Greenlands, Darenth Children's Centre. The midwives who looked after me were exceptional, conducting tests and monitoring to provide reassurance throughout my pregnancy. They expressed concern regarding the closure of the centre and worry as to where their patient cohort would be served.  

When raising these valid concerns, KCC provided several reassurances that all existing patients would be seen by other centres, many of which would expand in the reorganisation to absorb the additional capacity of those who would be displaced. 

I visited Greenlands for an appointment on 26th July 2024. Though this centre is listed as 'officially closed', midwives are still having to use it to serve expectant parents under entirely unacceptable circumstances, as no alternative location has been offered for their patient cohort to be seen.  

The center is gutted, appearing derelict, and is staffed by a midwife loan working, using a walkie talkie to communicate with attending patients. The reception staff no longer work, cleaners do not attend meaning the building is filthy.  

For all of the reassurances given by KCC it is clear the impact of centre closures had not been fully considered or planned for, with large swathes of patients left with nowhere to be seen. 

I propose Greenlands is reinstated, and argue it should never have been closed in the first place with no proper plan for maternity appointments across the catchment area it serves.