THE decision to close 10 of Basingstoke’s children’s centres by Hampshire County Council has been branded as “disgraceful” by a local councillor.

Leader of the Basingstoke Labour party, Cllr Paul Harvey, said the decision to relocate the services to one district hub in Buckskin is “unacceptable” and that the county council has let down families living in Basingstoke and Deane.

As previously reported in The Gazette the decision made on Friday, July 1 by the county council’s executive member for children’s services, Councillor Keith Mans, will mean the closure of centres in Chineham, Lychpit, Popley, Oakridge, Tadley, Hatch Warren, Overton, Bishops Green, Brighton Hill and South Ham.

Cllr Mans made the decision in a bid to help HCC save £8.5 million by closing 43 children’s centres across Hampshire, with the services being restructured into 11 district hubs.

Cllr Harvey said: “This is a frontline cut to a service which is vital to the people of Basingstoke and Deane.”

Whilst campaigning to keep the centres in Basingstoke open, the Labour group had more than 10,000 signatures on its petition which has seemingly been ignored by the county council.

Lead campaigner for the Save Our Children’s Centres Hampshire group, Catherine Ovenden said they are now looking to start a crowdfunding page to fund a judicial review to overturn the decision.

Ms Ovenden has slammed the county council’s idea of parents going online to seek much needed support.

She said: “The interaction and support parents get from staff at these centres is irreplaceable. The idea of using a website is just nonsense, it is like if they decided to close a hospital and put something on a website telling you how to do your own surgery, it’s ridiculous.”

The county council said the new family support service would modernise and transform early help to better support families in need across Hampshire.

The new service will bring together the work of early help hubs, children’s centre services and youth support services in to a single, joinedup service.

Cllr Mans said: “In the face of on-going profound reductions in central Government funding, we are determined to maintain essential services.

“This decision has not been easy but I am satisfied that this new service will support those who are most vulnerable, while ensuring that comprehensive information, advice and signposting is provided for all.”