Plans for the city's final Children's Centre, and a further two satellite sites have been given the backing of councillors who met to discuss the final third phase of the programme on Thursday. The ninth Sure Start Children's Centre will be located in the South Bank area of the city, along with two other satellite centres in the outer north east and east areas, which will complete the final phase of the Children Centres programme.

Labour's Children and Young People's Services spokesperson, and Micklegate Ward Councillor Dave Merrett said:

"This is welcome news and ensures blanket coverage of the city with quality, integrated services for children and families, including my own Micklegate Ward. Children's centres provide the joined up services that families need, supporting them in a localised way which is most likely to help them benefit in the long term. It is a key part of Labour's vision of ensuring that all children have the best start in life, and services are child and family centred.

"However, whilst this is good news, I'm keen to see the basic £1.2 million Government allocation for phase 3 augmented by the council (as with a number of the previous centres) to ensure the same standard of provision is made in the 9th centre and two satellites as in the preceding 8 centres in York. I'm pleased my call for this at the meeting was recognized in the decisions, and I look forward to seeing this being given proper consideration when officers put together the detailed site proposals".