FURTHER rounds of bidding could be opened up for organisations which want to gain ‘transition’ funding for children’s centres.

Yesterday Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved handing £163,000 to six groups from a £1m pot.

The so called ‘transition’ fund was created to help community groups try and keep some under-threat children’s centres open.

It comes ahead of the council withdrawing funding for 31 of the 44 centres and two of seven early intervention hubs from April.

Groups that missed out this time around can bit again, with a deadline of January 9.

But cabinet member for finance Lawrie Stratford suggested further rounds of bidding could be opened up.

He said: “If we need to have further rounds then that is what we will do.

“We have got officers who are looking to listen and are looking for good cases.”

Cabinet member for children and family services Melinda Tilley added: “We cannot use the money, it has to go to these groups so we need to be fully flexible.”

Mrs Tilley said any groups that wanted help building a business case before bidding for money should speak to the county council.

The organisations successful in this round of bidding were: Butterfly Meadows in Bloxham, Carterton Town Council, Botley Bridges, Grandpont Nursery in Oxford, St Nicholas Primary School in Marston and Sharing Life Trust in Thame.

Another eight are expected to get money if they make changes to their business plans while three were rejected.