PLANS to close the King’s Rise Children’s Centre in Chippenham were heavily criticised by parents at a consultation meeting at Ladyfield Church yesterday.

Mums, dads and grandparents all spoke out against proposals to close the purpose-built centre building in Pewsham.

Wiltshire Council are consulting on proposals to change 13 children’s centre buildings in the county and re-designate them for child care provision.

The council has said the key services will be maintained in the community and operate out of a variety of different locations.

Debbie Hirons, project manager for the recommissioning of children’s centres, said: “We are absolutely committed to doing the best we can do with the money we have for the children.”

“We are here to listen to what you have to say and we want to hear what you say. We feel very responsible to take that message back to council and make sure they hear those messages.”

Headteacher Lynn Evans, of Kings Lodge School, which is next to the King’s Rise Children’s Centre, questioned the financial aspects of the plan.

She said: “If it’s all down to expense, have you done a cost effectiveness study, to hire a village hall, to pay people to have mobile phones and transport, keeping their cars up to scratch?"

“Geographically we are out on a limb and to have somewhere in the centre of the community for people to go to is absolutely vital.”

The contract for The Rise Trust to operate the Kings Rise and centres next to St Paul’s Primary School and Frogwell, which are both set to be maintained, ends in June 2016.

One parent, Rachel, said: “To walk to another centre, you are looking at 45 or 60 minutes. We have no bus service so if you have two or more kids it’s near impossible, we have nowhere to go.”

Another parent, Marie, added: “The Children’s centre was very important for me to meet new people, it’s a really good community up there I think it’s a vital and should be kept open.”

A decision on King’s Rise, which is rated as Outstanding by Ofsted, will be made by councillors at a cabinet meeting on December 15. Pauline Monaghan, chief executive of Rise Trust, said: “Parents spoke very powerfully about their personal experiences of the support they had from their children’s centres and we are really grateful to them for their support.”

The consultation closes tomorrow (Nov 6).