CONCERNED parents have hit out at plans to close their children’s centre claiming they will lose much needed support and will be unable to travel to the closest remaining facility.

Feedback from a consultation into closing Manningtree Children’s Centre, based at the Mistley Health Clinic in New Road, has been published in a report ahead of the Essex County Council meeting next week.

It details the proposals to axe four of the centres in North Essex as part of a cash-strapped council’s bid to save £2.5million.

Manningtree will instead be replaced with outreach services.

Others, including Harwich Town Children’s Centre, will see reduced hours. Based at Noah’s Nursery in Barrack Lane, the centre will be slashed from 50 hours a week to 20.

The Windmill Centre in Ramsey will remain unchanged.

The report to the council’s cabinet said: “A number of responses praised the Manningtree Children’s Centre and raised concerns about losing a huge part of the community."

Essex County Council’s cabinet will consider the report on January 21, and if approved changes could be made as soon as April this year.