COUNCIL chiefs have defended their decision not to save more children’s centres from cuts.

Brighton and Hove City Council officers said “significant” savings still needed to be made.

Pinaki Ghoshal, director of children’s services, added that the two centres which had been saved had been chosen because of concerns issued by parents.

Last Wednesday the authority backtracked on proposals to make cutbacks to four children’s centres. Originally officers said they would be forced to make £779,000 in cuts if they could not secure a 5.9% council tax increase.

But after outrage from parents, the launch of our Save Our Centres and feedback from public consultation, officers opted to protect Hollingbury and Patcham Children’s Centre and City View Children’s Centre.

The centres will continue to run using a cash grant which has helped to reduce the amount of savings needed to £510,000.

However, there will be fewer Stay and Play groups across the city. Two centres – West Hove and Cornerstone, also in Hove – remain in the firing line as well as other services including baby groups at libraries. There could also be job losses.

These centres could still effectively close – losing their legal status as children’s centres – but the council insists the buildings will not be sold off.

Single mother and social worker Claire Jacobs, 30, of Durham Close, Brighton, said different centres should not be “played off” against each other.

She said: “All of these services are equally as important and should be saved.

“These services are well used and families rely on them.

“If the library groups shut down, could this put the libraries as a whole at risk later on because less people use them? They need to think of the knock-on effect this will have.”

Pinaki Ghoshal said: “The rest of the proposed cuts were not reviewed because the council still has to make very significant savings for 2015/16 and beyond.”

He added that concerns from parents about travelling to other centres further afield had led to the decision to save the two centres.

He said: “A large proportion of parents living in the Cornerstone catchment area already use the Tarner centre.

“Cornerstone is not a council building but a community centre which runs a wide range of activities including a baby group and hosts a voluntary pre-school.

“Health visitors will continue to run a healthy child clinic here. West Hove children’s centre is based in West Hove Infant School. Baby and Stay and Play groups for the area are already delivered from Conway Court. West Hove will continue to offer a healthy child clinic, midwives clinic, and a referral group.”

  •  The Argus is continuing with its Save Our Centres campaign. To pledge your support contact Flora Thompson on 01273 544539 or email flora.thompson@theargus.co.uk. Join a protest march to Hove Town Hall on Thursday organised by parents from 3.30pm meeting in New Road by the Pavilion Gardens, Brighton. It will finish in front of the town hall in Norton Road, Hove, in time for people arriving for the 4.30pm meeting.