UNDER threat children’s centres Braeside and Oxenwood will go on the market as interested parties make their bid to persuade councillors that they can run the centres.

16,000 people signed a petition to save the centres from closing, which prompted Wiltshire Council to extend a consultation period into both centre's futures until Christmas, and keep the centres running an extra six months.

In May the council pledged to make its ‘best effort’ to ensure the two sites will remain in use for outdoor education, but under new owners.

Four draft bids from charities and businesses were presented to the council, which have now been asked to formally register their interest in running the sites.

The bids must meet a set of requirements to ensure their business plans will ensure the sites can continue to be run.

Meanwhile the two outdoor education sites will remain open until the end of the year and bookings for events in the autumn and provisionally for next year are being taken.

Laura Mayes, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are aware that some people are keen to see these sites continue as outdoor education venues. At a recent meeting of the council’s cabinet we agreed to consider any expressions of interest and assess if the sites could continue as a going concern for the future.

“I am fully supportive of the benefits of outdoor education but have stated that the council is not the right organisation to run these centres in the future. We have to focus on our priorities and align funding to vulnerable children and education priorities.

“The decision to dispose of Braeside and Oxenwood has not been taken lightly and we will review all expressions of interest and assess the most viable possibility for the future of these sites.”

The future of the sites will be considered by cabinet at a meeting later this year.