THIS is not over.

Those are the words of a leading campaigner battling against a decision to close 43 children’s centres in Hampshire.

Mum-of-two Catherine Ovenden has vowed to fight in court the decision which she says is “illegal”.

A decision to cut the centres to save £8.5m was taken on July 1 after a 10-week consultation process.

However opposition politicians ‘called-in’ the decision, which will cost more than 100 jobs when the family support is centralised to 11 district hubs.

Hampshire County Council say the proposal will target support at the most vulnerable and bring their service into the 21st century.

Councillors against the plan pleaded for Executive member councillor Keith Mans to reconsider.

Liberal Democrat councillor Malcolm Wade said the decision is short sighted. He said: “What I am concerned about is there are gaps of detail in the proposal we have 58 per cent loss of staff delivering to 48 per cent more children, there are thousands of children and families that are no longer going to have any support where is the impact assessment on those children and families? And the risk assessment? I can’t see any.”

Labour councillor Criss Connor and UKIP councillor Chris Wood also argued that the decision needs to be looked at again.

However the majority of councillors on Children and Young People Select Committee voted against the call-in for the decision to be reconsidered.

One of those was former Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber.

Cllr Thornber said: “We never came came here any of us to reduce services but we have not got the money, there is £98m more to save in the coming year and I am afraid it has to be swingeing cuts across most activities.”

Meanwhile Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services and Deputy Leader Keith Mans argued that even without the council cuts that some centres may have been cut.

Cllr Mans said: “There are other things we are doing that contribute more to helping people in our community than the centres. I think the direction of travel would have been the same but I do not think it would have been so quick.”

After the meeting a tearful and emotional Catherine Ovenden said the decision will result in parents dying, she said: “They are making a stupid decision and people will die.”

“I will take them to court, it is illegal what they are doing.”

Ms Ovenden said she has been in discussions with lawyers and will attempt to bring about a judicial review, she added “It is not over.”

While Liberal Democrat councillor Bruce Tennent said: “I think the decision is abhorrent it is terrible, but being realistic Hampshire Tories have not got the money to play with.”