THE first round of successful bidders for children's centre 'transition' funding have been revealed.

It comes ahead of a controversial shake-up in April that will see Oxfordshire County Council withdraw funding for 31 of 44 children’s centres and two of seven early intervention hubs.

But the local authority said it would provide some community groups with funding to try and keep under-threat centres open.

So far, from next April, six groups are set to receive a total of £163,000 over three years.

They are: 

  • Butterfly Meadows (Bloxham Children & Families Centre)
  • Carterton Town Council (Carterton Children's Centre)
  • Botley Bridges (Elms Road Children's Centre)
  • Grandpont Nursery, Oxford (Grandpont Children's Centre)
  • St Nicholas Primary School, Marston (Marston Northway Children's Centre)
  • Sharing Life Trust, Thame (Red Kite Children's Centre)

Another eight are expected to qualify after changes to their business plans. They are:

  • Barton Community Association, Oxford (Barton Satellite)
  • Employment Action Group (Berinsfield Children's Centre)
  • Chalgrove Primary School (Chalgrove and Watlington Children's Centre)
  • Cutteslowe Primary School, Oxford (North Oxford Children's Centre)
  • The Nature Effect (Florence Park Children's Centre)
  • Magpies Pre-School, Kidlington (Kaleidoscope Children's Centre)
  • Friends of Maple Tree Children's Centre & Wheatley Nursery School (The Maple Tree Childrens Centre)
  • Oxfordshire Play Association (South Abingdon Children's Centre)

Three other organisations were rejected because they were not linked to under-threat children's centres.

Councillor Melinda Tilley, cabinet member for children's services, said today: "Because of community groups coming forward, we were able to look at this in a different way and talk about keeping more of these centres open.

"We were worried many would have to close but the response has been phenomenal."

And council finance chief Lawrie Stratford added: "We also think that if people can be part of these services they will value them a lot more."

The final deadline for transition funding is January 9. Officials said they expected between 15 and 20 further applications by then and were confident no areas would be left without services.

Children's centre campaigners have warned a lack of certainty over rents has led many groups to hold back, after it emerged a large chunk of some grants would go back to the council for use of its buildings.

Mr Stratford insisted this was a fair arrangement.

He said: "The transition funding is only temporary.

"We can subsidise rents perhaps in the first and second year but in the end these services have to become sustainable."