PARENTS have reacted with anger to the news that the council is to push forward with plans to close seven children’s centres.

The proposal, which will save £800,000, was first put forward in July and following a public consultation it was announced on Tuesday that the plans would be going ahead, although almost £200,000 will now be set aside to help provide support in certain parts of the town.

Nearly 2,000 people responded to the consultation and several petitions were handed in to the council from people unhappy about the plans.

However, faced with a need to find £50 million in savings over the next few years, council leaders say the closures are necessary.

The centres set to be decommissioned are Eldene, Croft, Butterflies, Ladybird, Saltway, Robert le Kyng and West Swindon.

Butterflies and West Swindon will be replaced with multi-generational centres, which will operate on two thirds of the funding but will be free to raise funds themselves. The proposal will go before the council’s cabinet next Wednesday and, if approved, the changes will come into effect by the end of March next year.

Mum Wendy Cutter, 35, of Walcot, has campaigned to keep the centres open and is furious with the decision.

She said: “I am absolutely disgusted with this decision. It seems as though they have said you can have your say but then not actually listened.

“I have said time and time again that the centres provide so much support. They are saying that the most vulnerable children will be protected but once a child is born then they can become vulnerable.

“The money they have put forward for extra support won’t even come close to making up for the loss of seven centres.”

Many took to social media to vent their anger when the news broke earlier this week. Among them was centre user Louisa Spence who said: “Absolutely devastated. Me and my daughter have been coming for almost two years. The staff are amazing. And it’s not right at all.”

The council say they have listened to people in the consultation which is why they have set £200,000 aside to provide care in areas where the centres are closed but opponents have said this is not enough.

The Labour parliamentary candidate for South Swindon, Anne Snelgrove, said: “I welcome the recognition that family support workers are an important component of community provision for parents but this money will not go anywhere near to plugging the gap left behind by Swindon Tory council’s short sighted swingeing cuts.’’ The cabinet member of children’s services, Coun Fionuala Foley, said the decision was not easy but one that has had to be made.

She said: “I did not enter politics to close down children’s centres but we need to find £50 million of savings in the next few years so we have to make difficult decisions. I have protected the centres which help the most vulnerable children and we did listen to people. We have provided this money because we recognise there will be people in some areas who need this support, so the funding will be focused in these areas.”