Children's centres are a necessary investment which should be shielded from cuts, a charity said.

For the last two years the charity 4Children, which works to help families flourish, has produced a census to highlight the importance of children’s centres in the UK.

Its most recent report – published in October – said at least a million more people were using these services nationwide since 2013 but more than half of centres feared cuts could be enforced in the 2015/16 financial year.

The report states: “Children’s centres are an investment to save, but to achieve this investment is required.

“The children’s centre budget has been cut at a time when more families than ever before are turning to them for support.”

Brighton and Hove children’s centres were visited more than 11,500 times between April and June last year. The Argus launched the Save Our Centres campaign to call on the city council to reconsider proposals to cut back on centres and related services.

A Brighton and Hove City Council impact assessment stated there will be an impact on families on low incomes who do not qualify for free early education for two year olds.

Brighton and Hove city councillor Andrew Wealls said the charity has a plan which helps councils reduce 20% of costs.

The opposition spokesman, who is on the children and young people committee, said: “They specifically work with local authorities to help them improve their commissioning of children’s centres and, in fact, run a large number themselves.

"They are also able to bring in funding from other areas as they are a not-for-profit organisation.”

The council’s Green administration has outlined cutbacks in the event that the Green’s preferred 5.9% council tax rise is denied at a council meeting next week.

Pinaki Ghoshal, the council’s executive director of children’s services, said: “We believe children’s centres are well placed within communities to deliver a balance of universal and targeted provision.

“4Children may well believe there should be no reductions to children’s centres but the fact is we have to make significant savings in the context of a council funding gap of £100 million in the next four years.

“We think the Brighton and Hove way of delivering services from children’s centres, which include health visitors, is the most effective way and we were quoted as a model of good practice last year by the Early Intervention Foundation.

“The feedback from the consultation includes some helpful suggestions which will inform our final proposals.”