FAMILIES facing the loss of children's centres in Abingdon are unlikely to be thrown a financial lifeline by their local council. 

An Abingdon Town Council committee recommended refusal of a plan to inject up to £60,000 into its community fund, to help sustain services lost if the town's two children's centres close.

Council leader Mike Badcock recognised the "valuable" work of the centres, but added: “The council already has major financial pressures including the ongoing Guildhall Development Project, the development of a Community Led Plan and the loss of grants. 

“It is important to remember that the children’s centres are a service of Oxfordshire County Council and the town council must be very careful in taking on services and expenditure from other authorities. To do so would have major financial implications for council tax payers in Abingdon, potentially for many years to come."

In January Mr Badcock stressed a “great need” for children's centres and said he would rather spend money on keeping one afloat than on the town's neighbourhood plan. 

Liberal Democrat councillor Samantha Bowring, who put forward the motion, said she was "very frustrated" when councillors turned her down at a meeting on Thursday.

She said: "They were saying sympathetic things but words don't really mean anything without funding. I was hoping they might agree at least to a lower sum.

"There is so much wriggling around in our budget we felt there was a lot of scope for efficiency savings."

Under her suggestions the £60,000 would also be paid for by a £5 council tax rise. 

Official rejection or approval will be given at a full council meeting on October 5.

Oxfordshire County Council gives South Abingdon Children’s Centre in Caldecott Chase £275,000 each year, and £175,783 to North Abingdon Children’s Centre in Northcourt Road.

They are among 44 children's centres due to lose their funding in March 2017 as part of county council budget cuts, to be replaced with a new targeted service for youngsters aged up to 19. 

Mrs Bowring, who used South Abingdon Children's Centre when she was bringing up her four children, stressed the sense in saving prevention care offered at children's centres. 

She said: "Spending money in the very early years means saving money later on. It costs more to get specialist workers in schools and involve the police, social services and health services. 

"The county are talking about only saving the statutory services, but what about families that are just finding it quite hard? Often the emphasis is on younger or deprived mums but frankly any woman faced with a new baby thinks 'what do I do?'"

She and a handful of others have set up a committee to help save the children's services in the South.

She added: "We are looking at several different options and applying for grants, and looking at working in partnership with the private sector."

County council plans announced in May listed 18 centres in Oxfordshire to be kept open for certain services, including Abingdon Early Intervention Centre in Stratton Way, which is set to become a 'children and family centre' offering targeted services for troubled parents.