MOTHERS have appealed directly to councillors to think again over plans to close 37 of the county’s 44 children’s centres.

Oxfordshire raged against the cuts yesterday as protests were held in Oxford city centre and county councillors agreed to appeal to the Government to think again.

Protesters gathered in Bonn Square for a demonstration about the cuts. Campaigners hoping to save most of Oxfordshire’s childrens centres – which offer support to families of children under five – appealed at a full meeting of the county council to rethink its proposals. Mum-of-two Emma Taylor, of Henley, who founded Save Oxfordshire’s Children’s Centres, said: “There seems to be confusion over the role of children’s centres.

“They are not a playgroup or a coffee morning.

“They were created as a response to child abuse disasters, out of the Every Child Matters report following Victoria Climbie’s tragic death [she was tortured and murdered in 2000], and are proven hubs of excellent support for vulnerable and disadvantaged families with children.”

Banbury mum-of-three Alexandra Daniels said one of her daughters had almost died because of an acute, near deadly condition – and she said her local centre had played a crucial part in her recovery. “To all intents and purposes, they may appear to those without insight to have been there as a whimsical luxury,” she said.

“The truth, however, is they have impacted greatly on my and many other lives.” The county council is considering whether to close all but seven of Oxfordshire’s children’s centres – though no decision has been taken.

It would be part of its efforts to save £61m on top of the £201m already made or committed up to 2017. Yesterday county councillor Liz Brighouse successfully tabled a motion calling for Mr Hudspeth to write to Mr Cameron and the Chancellor George Osborne to tell them about the cuts the authority is being forced to make. In her motion, she said this would “hit the rising number of vulnerable elderly people and children in all communities”.

She received cross-party support, including from Conservatives such as Kieron Mallon, who said: “Local government is never looked favourably upon. None of us were elected to make cuts.”

Before the meeting, and afterwards at Bonn Square, protesters gathered to make their voices heard.

East Oxford resident Nick Evans, of the Oxford People’s Assembly, said: “They have cash reserves and they could oppose these cuts.” Mr Hudspeth – who has been told to do just that by the Government – has warned against using the council’s reserves.

He said: “No decisions have been taken on children’s centres yet and the budget proposals will come out in December.

“We are aware of the feelings some residents in Oxfordshire have.”