Parents fighting council plans to cut funding for more than half of Oxfordshire’s children’s centres have been granted a last-chance court challenge.

The bid for a judicial review was rejected by the High Court in August but is now set to be heard by the Court of Appeal next month.

It will examine Oxfordshire County Council’s controversial reorganisation of children’s services, which would see 31 of 44 children’s centres and two of seven early intervention hubs lose funding from April.

Lawyers confirmed the two parents mounting the legal challenge – who cannot be named for legal reasons – also won an injunction preventing the council from making further staff changes until the case is heard.

A spokesman for the local authority said the ‘disappointing’ move meant there would be more costly delays, but children’s centre campaigners welcomed the appeal.

Jill Huish, of Save Oxfordshire’s Children’s Centres, said: “I’m really pleased that this appeal has been granted. Oxfordshire’s children’s centres are valued highly by the families they serve, their hardworking staff and local health and early years professionals.”

Ms Huish said recent reports that found merging Oxfordshire’s councils could save £22m a year meant there was no need to close children’s centres.

She added: “Closing children’s centres is going to cost us all more in the long run and should be rethought now we know the massive savings to be made by combining our councils.”

A county council spokesman said: “We are already well advanced in moving to a comprehensive new service, which will meet the needs and aspirations of children at risk of abuse and neglect in Oxfordshire, and ensure that families who need extra help are identified at an early stage.

“In dismissing the initial legal challenge, the High Court ruling was very clear that this is a claim without merit, and although [this] decision opens the door to a possible appeal, the judge also said such an action would be unlikely to succeed.

"We are committed to our plans to develop the best possible service for Oxfordshire families.

“We will also continue to resist the appeal, but it is disappointing that there are now further legal proceedings, further uncertainty for our staff and further cost to Oxfordshire taxpayers.”