COUNCIL chiefs are set to push back controversial cuts to children centre's until December, it has emerged.
Worcestershire County Council's leadership has revealed how it intends to hold off on launching its proposals by two months following concern from campaigners.
It comes as:
- Worcestershire Mums Network called the cuts "devastating" and said it "still 100 per cent" opposes it
- Bosses from a key childcare organisation called 10:32 said they face losing half their workforce if it goes ahead
- Conservative Councillor Marc Bayliss, the cabinet member for children and families, admitted there are "no easy options left" for saving money and told parents he wished it was different
- Headteachers in the county insisted they were optimistic about the changes, saying they will "make it work"
The Worcester News first revealed in May how funding for 32 children's centres is expected to drop by a third, down from £4.5 million to £3 million, this autumn.
Council bosses say no centres will close, but services face the axe in more than half the 32 sites, with the changes in 18 deemed so 'significant' that consultation is needed.
The idea is to get schools and childcare organisations to take them over, keeping them running within the vastly reduced funding.
It was debated during a meeting of the children and families overview and scrutiny panel yesterday - the second public grilling about this month.
Siani Driver, from the Worcestershire Mums Network, said: "We've got nearly 4,000 members across Worcestershire who are opposed to these cuts - we are still 100 per cent opposed to it.
"The county council's children's centres are rated 'outstanding', we can't figure out why you'd want to cut an outstanding service.
"We'd say again that we desperately appreciate these services, we don't know why you are doing this when it seems to be purely for financial reasons."
Other campaigners joined in, one a breastfeeding expert, before Councillor Bayliss said the authority was under "huge" financial pressure.
"The need to keep children safe means we're spending approximately £10 million more on looked-after children now than a few years ago," he said.
"The context to this is that we need to save something like £25 million next year.
"I'm really sorry to say, we need to make hard choices, there really are no easy options left.
"There is no low hanging fruit left, I've been really honest and upfront about it - I wish we were living in a world where money doesn't matter and you can spend what you like, but we don't."
Claire Darcey, from Wyre Forest-based 10:32, an 'early years' childcare organisation, said the cuts would mean losing half their staff, around 25 workers.
She warned them the services would be "radically different", but three headteachers attended to offer a positive view.
Julie Wills, from Upton Primary School, said it was about "thinking smarter" and insisted they would turn their local centre, called Riverboats, into "a thriving, five-days-a-week" first class facility, opening for two extra days.
"The vision for us in Upton is to create something fit for the future, I am passionate about making this work," she said.
"What we have now is a beautiful building which is closed two days a week - it's awful to see it like that.
"We want to make it much better, broaden our pre-school provision and offer something really positive."
Other headteachers said they were willing to make a success of the changes, despite the reduced funding.
Councillor Bayliss said the "key to making it work" would be "goodwill" from schools.
"It's great that we're hearing from schools that they are willing to engage positively," he said.
"The way to make this work is to integrate, and bend schools resources and children's centre resources - with goodwill I think we can maintain a good network of children's centres delivering a positive experience for young people."
A series of councillors also spoke during the debate, which lasted nearly two hours, offering divided opinions.
Councillor Bayliss said the original idea to start the changes in October could be pushed back until December, to give everyone more time to consider the implications and find solutions.
It partly depends on if the opppsition Labour group use the 'call in' mechanism on the decision, to undertake additional scrutiny of it.
During the meeting Councillor Bayliss said there would be "a cost" to any delay - but told the committee the important thing was getting the best outcome.
Some 678 people have signed a petition against the changes, with a consultation running until mid-August.
More will follow on this story on Monday.
* 650 parents sign petition hammering children's centre cuts across Worcestershire
* Anguished Worcestershire Mums Network launches bid to stop children's centre cuts
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