COMMUNITY groups could step in to save Wallingford children’s centre just a year after it was opened.

The town council led a project to create the Wigod Centre on the site of a former church in Wigod Way, after the youth centre in Clapcot Way closed due to cuts.

But now the centre is one of 44 across the county under threat, as the county council proposes closing them and seven early intervention hubs to save £8m.

Wallingford town council worked with South Oxfordshire District Council to acquire the church site, and with the county council to fund the new centre.

In July last year the £300,000 building was completed, to house a youth worker and the children’s centre run by Action for Children, on behalf of the county council.

But a year after the building was completed, the centre, owned by the town council, could be forced to close.

Cholsey county councillor Mark Gray has been asked by the county council to visit children’s centres around the county to see if community groups, town or parish councils and other groups could help provide services.

He said: “I would like to see as many children’s centres as possible stay open and I think there is a way of achieving that.

“If the town, the district and county councils came together to put money in, I can’t see the centre closing.

“The fact that the centre is new is neither here nor there. It’s down to community groups to see what they can do.”

Mum-of-two Camilla Preece, 32, of Crowmarsh Gifford, who runs a breastfeeding group at the Ridgeway church in Wallingford, said: “I used the children’s centre when I was pregnant with my son Leo, three.

“It would be a crying shame if the centre closed. It provides great support for mums and others in the community who are vulnerable and also has dads’ groups.”

Wallingford mayor Lynda Atkins said: “The children’s centre in Wallingford has a lot going for it – not least a new building.

“It would be a terrible shame if it has to close and I will work hard to make sure it does not happen.”

Jill Huish, 33, of Save Oxfordshire Children’s Centres, said: “Our position is that we want all children’s centres to be saved. We don’t want any to close.

“It would be madness to remove a children’s centre from a purpose-built building opened so recently.”

Action for Children’s Laurie Long said: “We will be feeding into wider consultations and are committed to ensuring the future needs of the families and children we work with are met.”

The council plans to replace the centres and seven early intervention hubs with eight family resource units.

A reduced service for youngsters aged up to 19 would cost half the £16m spent now, the council said.

A second option includes keeping some services at eight centres but reducing outreach work, while a third involves six centres and £1m in funding to support community-run family services.