Twelve more communities across Oxfordshire have been given a cash boost as they aim to run their own children's centres after council funding is cut.

It comes ahead of a controversial shake-up in April that will see Oxfordshire County Council withdraw funding for 31 of 44 children’s centres and two of seven early intervention hubs.

But the local authority said it would provide some community groups with funding to try and keep under-threat centres open.

The winners in the second round of bids for Oxfordshire County Council's £1m 'transition fund' have been announced with more than £300,000 handed out. 

Barton, Chipping Norton, Banbury, Faringdon, Cutteslowe and Wheatley were among those awarded varying amounts over a three-year period to run a centre. 

Six centres in Bloxham, Carterton, Botley, Grandpont, Marston and Thames were awarded funding in round one.

The council's cabinet member for Children and Family Services Melinda Tilley said: “The response of local communities has been fantastic, and we are well on the way to seeing solutions in place at the vast majority of children’s centre locations.

"It has never been the council’s intention to close children’s centres – quite the opposite in fact.

“I suspect many people didn’t think this was possible, but we now have the makings of a truly countywide distribution of locations where ‘drop-in’ children’s services will continue to operate.

"I look forward to these schemes getting up and running as soon as possible, as I’m sure do many families across Oxfordshire.”

List of centres given funding in the second round: 

  • Ace Centre Charity (Ace Centre, Chipping Norton): £29.98
  • Barton Community Association (Barton EI Satellite, Oxford): £14,000
  • Employment Action Group (Berinsfield Children’s Centre): £35,000
  • Friends of Britannia Road (Britannia Road Children’s Centre, Banbury): £10,000 (*interim award pending submission to final round)
  • Chalgrove Primary School (Chalgrove and Watlington Children’s Centres) £30,000
  • Faringdon Town Council (Faringdon Children’s Centre): £30,000
  • Grove PCC (Grove and Wantage Children’s Centres): £10,000 (*interim award pending submission to final round)
  • Kidlington with Hampton Poyle PCC (Kaleidoscope Children’s Centre, Kidlington): £35,000
  • Friends of Maple Tree (Maple Tree Children’s Centre, Wheatley): £30,000
  • Cutteslowe Community Association (North Oxford Children’s Centre): £30,000
  • D:two (Rainbow Children’s Centre, Henley): £21,900
  • Wallingford Town Council (Wallingford Children’s Centre): £30,000

List of proposals approved in first round:

  • Bloxham Primary School (Butterfly Meadows, Children’s Centre): £29,384
  • Carterton Town Council (Carterton Children’s Centre): £30,000
  • Botley Bridges (Elms Road Children’s Centre, Oxford): £30,000
  • Grandpont Nursery (Grandpont Children’s Centre, Oxford): £35,600
  • St Nicholas Primary School (Marston Northway Children’s Centre): £8,000
  • Sharing Life Trust (Red Kite Children’s Centre, Thame): £30,000