PROPOSALS to close a children’s centre have been slammed as an “absolute disgrace” by a campaigner.

Slough Borough Council officers will meet with users of the Britwell children’s centre in Monksfield Way to discuss the future of the building.

In a bid to save £431,000, the local authority is considering closing seven out of its 10 children’s centres to move to a family hub model that will focus on improving targeted help. The plans are currently out for public consultation.

The three centres proposed to stay open are Romsey Close, Chalvey Grove, and Penn Road. A standalone early education provision in Yew Tree Road is also proposed to remain operational.

Slough resident Julie Siddiqi has organised a meeting for centre users to have a say on the proposed closure on Wednesday, March 15, and hopes council officers will change their minds about Britwell children’s centre.

READ MORE: Slough Borough Council could close seven children's centres

She said it was an “absolute disgrace” that the “incompetent” council was thinking about closing the centre in Monksfield Way just to help reduce its £760m borrowing debt.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she said: “I don’t think it’s about someone doing their homework on what’s really efficient and effective for the needs of children and families.

“It’s more about we’ve got so much money we have to save to deal with this massive deficit we’ve got and what we can cut out and sell off. That doesn’t feel right.”

Ms Siddiqi said the consultation is quite hard for residents to fill out and by having users speak directly to council officers, it will give them the chance to fully air their views without filling in an online form.

However, she believes the decision to close the centres are a “done deal” as the consultation only gives residents three options on the future of the children’s centres.

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One is to close nine centres and leave a borough-wide centre, another is to close eight, and the last option is to close seven – which is the recommended option.

Ms Siddiqi said: “I am not naïve. I know one meeting won’t change things but at least we feel we had a say. I feel like we will have a say on behalf of the children who can’t speak for themselves.”

The meeting between the centre’s users and council officers will happen at 9am, Wednesday, March 15, at the Britwell Children’s Centre.

A Slough Borough Council spokesperson said “We would urge as many people as possible to complete the consultation here: https://slough.citizenspace.com/corporate/childrens-centres-consultation/ , if you agree with any of the proposed options or not, we want to hear your views. No decisions have been made yet and the consultation is open until March 17.”