OPENING times at a number of children's centres across Hull could be cut as part of a council review aimed at saving £1m over the next two years.
Two centres – Marvell House in Cranbourne Street, near the city centre and Ainthorpe in Ainthorpe Grove, west Hull – are set to close under the proposals.
Five more are likely to offer fewer services under reduced opening hours.
They are at Bude and Dorchester primary schools in Bransholme, Bricknell in west Hull, McMillan in north Hull and Longhill in east Hull.
A separate review into two other centres at Clifton Primary School and Lambert Street in west Hull has yet to be concluded.
The wider review was triggered by changes to Government funding, which directed money away from children's centres to primary schools.
Former city council leader Councillor Simone Butterworth, Liberal Democrat spokesman for children and young people's services, said: "Lib Dem councillors think children's centres offer a vital service and oppose their closure.
"Labour councillors should not be cutting the service and need to look at where savings can be made elsewhere."
There are 20 centres operating across the city, offering health and education services to pre-school children and their parents and carers.
Most are run by schools or voluntary sector organisations.
Feedback from an initial public consultation over the review found that 88 per cent of parents and carers who responded said they would be prepared to make a financial contribution towards future services at the centres.
Almost a third said they already made voluntary contributions.
Cllr Butterworth said more work was needed to be done by the centres to identify possible new sources of income to make them more sustainable.
Speaking when the review was first launched, deputy council leader Councillor Daren Hale said the authority should not be blamed for having to make cuts to children's centres.
"This is not something we would want to be doing, but the funding goalposts have been changed quite dramatically," he said.
A final decision will be made in September.
