CHILDREN'S centres now likely to stay open need extra funding if they are to offer strong outreach services, according to a new Oxford city councillor.

A team led by Marie Tidball, who represents Hinksey Park, has said Grandpont Nursery School Children's Centre and others like it will require about £80,000 a year to be effective.

Grandpont and seven others across the county have now been earmarked by Oxfordshire County Council to offer family outreach services as well as continued childcare.

Speaking at a meeting of Oxford City Council's City Executive Board, Ms Tidball said: "The loss of the centre and its services at Grandpont would be a terrible blow to our nursery school and the community of South Oxford, where 13 per cent of children are in poverty and 18 per cent in social rented housing.

"From universal breastfeeding advice for new mums to specialist work with traveller families and healthy relationship workshops for dads, this is an essential local resource."

At present 18 children's centres are due to stay open, with eight main centres to be run using a new £12m service and £2m to be spent on keeping the others running. A slice of a one-off £1m fund will also be available if community groups come up with business plans for the others.

Grandpont has so far been granted £12,500 for childcare services Ms Tidball has said it needs an extra £81,000 per year for outreach work, with two Grandpont-based outreach workers offering help improving parenting skills and supporting mental wellbeing in parents, particularly with issues such as post-natal depression.

A family room at the centre would also be used for health services, a midwife clinic and Baby Cafe.

Ms Tidball added: "We propose Oxfordshire County Council provides £50,000 per annum for the next three years. Grandpont will seek matched funding for the £30,000.

"Prevention over the long term is much cheaper than intervention. Our model retains a vibrant, effective outreach service which best supports the needs of our community."

At the meeting city council leader Bob Price noted that a lot of money was available from the extra "£2m plus £1m" that "could be used more effectively".

The plans will be discussed with Oxfordshire County Council on Monday at a bilateral meeting to see if it could apply to both Grandpont and other similar centres.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “The community at Grandpont is more than welcome to approach us with ideas.

"Many other parts of the county have already done so or are planning to do so. We have £1m of 'pump-priming' funding to assist communities in terms of the future of their children’s centres once the current network ends in March 2017 – should our cabinet agree recommendations being made to them at cabinet."

The cabinet meets today.