THE future of centres which bring together early education, childcare, healthcare and family support has sparked a spat between two general election hopefuls in Worcester.

Labour’s Mike Foster, who is Worcester’s MP until Parliament is dissolved on Monday, is claiming at least one of the city’s five Sure Start Children’s Centres would be at risk of closure if the Conservatives win the general election.

But Robin Walker, the Conservative candidate for the city’s seat, has denied that will happen and accused Mr Foster of spreading “scare stories”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday – the day Prime Minister Gordon Brown officially called the general election – Mr Foster said voters had “just 30 days left” to save Worcester’s Sure Start Children’s Centres.

He said: “Giving youngsters the best possible start to life is something we should all be united around.

“Instead, one of our Sure Start Children’s Centres will close if the Conservatives win the election. The Tories would go from sure start to sure stop.”

Mr Walker, who said residents had also received Labour leaflets making the claims, denied his party was seeking to make £200 million cuts to the Sure Start programme and said it was “completely untrue” that any of the city’s centres were under threat.

Mr Walker has since visited all of the centres to hand in a letter, a copy of which has been seen by your Worcester News, saying the Conservatives “have no plans” to close any centres.

The letter also claims the party would create “thousands” of new Sure Start health visitors and a universal visitor service, and would seek to strenghten ties between the centres and the local primary care trusts.

All of this will cost £200 million a year but the Conservatives claim that will be paid for using the money it has set aside for more Sure Start outreach workers and from the health budget.

Mr Walker said: “It’s not about cutting the services or closing any of the centres down. I have spoken to Worcestershire County Council and they have told me they have no plans to close any of the Sure Start centres in Worcester.”

Mr Foster has stuck by his assertions, though, and accused Mr Walker of making promises he cannot keep.

Mr Foster also said the £150 million savings Mr Walker said Labour would take out of the Sure Start budget were actually back office efficiencies identified in the department for children, schools and families budget.