FAMILIES fear libraries, children's centres, alcohol services and needle exchanges could be forced to share buildings under radical plans to cut £1 million.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is consulting on plans to slash 10 managerial posts and have three teams in charge of running everything from libraries and children's centres to youth offending services.

It could lead to some of the affected services being forced to share buildings as part of wider plans to sell off millions of pounds of property across the city.

The authority has drawn up plans to save £24 million in 2012/13.

Councillor Debra Gratton, cabinet member for children and young people's services, acknowledged the proposals will have to be considered carefully.

She said: "This is the idea of everything under one roof. Local centres, children's centres, libraries sharing space.

"It's part of the asset rationalisation programme. The idea is that, for instance, if you go into a children's centre you can also use the library.

"It needs to be very seriously thought through and it won't be quite as easy as some people might think."

Parents at some of the city's children's centres have been warned the centres could have to share space with needle exchange schemes.

Save our Children's Centres campaigner Emma Boote, aged 33, a mother-of-two from Norton, said: "The managers that are in place now will be replaced by people who will be working with youth services, libraries, needle exchange, and drugs and alcohol.

"Children are our priority and we don't want those things on going in the same building.

"We are trying to keep them safe and we don't feel they will be if there's needle exchange going on at the same site.

"We want the children's centres to be a safe place for our children.

Families at the Crescent children's centre in Pinewood Crescent, Meir, spoke of their fears over the proposals.

Mother-of-six Claire Lawrence, of Meir, said: "Some of the services are appropriate to put in the same buildings, but other things will just drive parents and families away.

"Staff haven't been consulted properly as they don't understand what is planned."

Mother-of-four Clare Lane, aged 26, of Meir, said: "It seems to me like they are putting the need to save money before children.

"What they are failing to realise is that the children centres are helping to provide a future for are the ones who will be making these decisions in the future."

Kimberley Dawson, aged 27, of Meir, a mother-of-two, said: "We really want the council to rethink this.

"Parents would be put off using the centres if the services merged. I would also take my child to a different school."

Mother-of-two Gemma Horn, aged 24, of Meir, added: "I think it is absolutely ridiculous."

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