YORK’S nine children’s centres are to stay open despite massive cuts in Government funding.

City of York Council confirmed the facilities will survive the financial squeeze despite the authority needing to slice £1.6 million from its budget for children and young people’s services.

The need to make savings has led to a restructure of the children’s centres, early years services and childcare strategy services.

But the council said a “more targeted” approach will allow it to deal with the shortfall without shutting any of the centres, which offer support for children under five and their families.

Coun Ruth Potter, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I’m really pleased to be taking this decision in the face of such heavy funding cuts from the Government.

“Children’s centres offer an invaluable service to their communities. It was always going to be impossible to maintain exactly the same level of services we’ve had until now with this level of cuts, but I feel this makes the best of a bad job in terms of what we can deliver with less money.

“Services will be more targeted to those who rely most on them. This will see a saving of more than £1.5 million, which goes a long way towards meeting the shortfall the council had to deal with after the Government abolished a whole series of grants aimed at early intervention services.”

York’s nine children’s centres are based at Hob Moor, Westfield, Ostman Road, Kingsway North, Trafalgar Street, New Earswick, Haxby Road, South Avenue and Heslington Road.