Penny-pinching council bosses want to shut play centres in Northgate and Ifield as well as after school clubs in Pound Hill and Southgate – in a bid to save just £160,000.

But press and the public will be excluded from the council's crucial discussions on June 11 because tight-lipped town hall bosses have decided to hold the talks in private.

Play centre campaigner and parent, Ian Jones, 47, from Northgate, said: "It's cowardly. To move an important debate to a private part of the meeting is cowardly. The council is supposed to represent its constituents, I understand the budget constraints but there is a lot of support for play centres in Crawley and the council has to recognise that. At the moment they just seem to be ignoring us."

Leader of Crawley Borough Council, Bob Lanzer confirmed the meeting was being held behind closed doors and said: "The report and any debate could contain personal information of employment to do with members of our staff.

"Whenever we discuss matters like these there is a risk that personal or sensitive information might inadvertently be released to the press or public if matters are discussed publicly."

Full story in the Crawley Observer

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