WHILE children’s centres have been offered a lifeline with the news some could be saved if local authorities intervene, campaigners will not view this as a victory.

It has taken months of fighting tooth and nail against the county council, inspiring district and parish councils along with other organisations to step in, to reach this point.

And even then, there is no guarantee all the current invaluable services will continue.

And some centres will not be saved at all.

It is worrying it has taken this long for Melinda Tilley and the council to realise there was an alternative to shutting all the centres and replacing them with eight hubs.

News that they did not know about the level of inconsistencies in spending between each centre is alarming.

Those who hold the centres dear should be grateful the determination and spirit of those who worked tirelessly to save them helped bring this to light and offered a viable alternative.

What happens next remains to be seen, with concerns still lingering over the greater impact of the council’s savings.

And the £9m offered by the Government to ease the burden of these cuts is unlikely to make much difference.