A Braithwaite mother accuses planners of a new early years centre of keeping residents in the dark.

Zena Davis, of Guardhouse Grove, says parents have not had enough consultation on the new Sure Start centre, to be sited at Guard House School.

Sure Start is a Government initiative to improve health and education provision for under-fours in less affluent areas.

The aim of the centres is to form closer ties with communities and give children a better start in life.

Plans for what services and facilities the Keighley centre will provide have to be submitted by May 23.

But Zena says most parents were not encouraged to get involved until Good Friday, when a leaflet was posted.

"I've been involved for two months and it's angered me because people in this area have not had their say," she says.

The only way Zena had gleaned any information was through asking for it, she claims.

She believes parents were deliberately discouraged from helping decide how the scheme's money - almost £1m - is spent.

She says: "Parental involvement has come as an after thought. A parents' forum should have been set up."

Instead, she feels parents are under-represented in the scheme's working groups and paid professionals have made most of the major decisions.

A former social worker and mother of two children under two, Zena adds: "People who live in poverty are not used to having a voice. So they are sidelined."

She has expressed her views in a letter to Sure Start's central London office.

This includes a request for the May deadline to be extended so parents have longer to respond.

Val Iqbal, a development officer for the Keighley initiative, says: "There's an on-going process of engaging parents.

"A leaflet went out asking for parents' opinions and we've consulted with groups like the Whinfield Centre.

"There's always room for more consultation and it will be built into the process as we go along."

Braithwaite and Guardhouse community development officer Pauline Ackroyd says: "There has been a massive parents' consultation, but there's no way we can get out to everyone.

"If anyone wants, they can come down to the Whinfield Centre to see myself or Val. There is time to include their feelings in the final report."

John Philip, treasurer of the Braithwaite People's Association, adds: "Everybody on the estate has had the opportunity to comment.

"The mother and toddler group at the Keith Thompson (community) Centre were consulted.

"Leaflets were given out by health visitors about the better baby clinic.

"There was a meeting at the Whinfield Centre, but only three residents turned up.

"Sure Start has done everything it can, apart from walking through the estate with billboards on."

John says Zena can raise queries at the Keith Thompson Centre's Wednesday morning help-desk sessions.

Sheila Rye, head of Bradford's early years service, which is co-ordinating the Sure Start project, says: "I am very surprised she feels this way.

"She received the parents' questionnaire and one of our workers visited her to discuss her views.

"She's always been invited to Sure Start meetings and offered childcare to help her attend.

"We would welcome her involvement and any contribution she feels she can make."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.