COUNCILLORS and a parliamentary candidate turned out for a public meeting in Malvern on Saturday to protest against the proposed closure of children's centres.
Malvern town councillor Lynn Lambeth and Worcester City councillor Tracey Biggs joined Labour candidate Daniel Walton and Malvern Green party chairman Jackie Smethurst at the meeting at St Mary's church, Madresfield Road.
Parents fear that centres such as the Evergreen Children's Centre in Malvern Link are under threat of closure as Worcestershire County Council seeks to cut finding by £1.5 million.
Cllr Biggs told the meeting that centres help to resolve problems early and prevent problems that are more expensive to tackle later. She said that audience heard successive administrations have run the service down sufficiently to claim, falsely in her view, the centres are failing.
The online petition started by Worcestershire Mums Network now has nearly 1,500 signatures. Mr Walton said: "We must continue to fight these cuts. The council are hoping we’ll just go away but if you care about our children’s futures it’s vital you please support us now."
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