CHESHIRE East Council has insisted Nantwich's children’s centre has not closed but confirmed some services would be ‘affected’ by the cabinet’s recent decision to ‘designate’ it.

Announcing the plans in a statement this week, the council has said that Nantwich and Rural along with Broken Cross, Sandbach and Knutsford children’s centre is not being closed but instead used as a ‘satellite centre’.

Out of 74 services supplied across the four centres, only seven will be affected, although the council has not yet confirmed which these are.

In a statement, Cheshire East Council said that it plans to still deliver some services from each building including new parent groups, baby massage, tiny tot’s playgroups, midwifery and stay-and-play sessions.

The plans also include a mobile service, which is ‘in the process of being procured’ by the council which will deliver ‘tailored services’ to rural areas. The council has also assured that there will be no loss of capacity.

Cllr Liz Durham, cabinet member for children and families, said: “Cheshire East Council is committed to ensuring that those children and families who are in greatest need receive the support they require through a modernised children’s service that delivers the right service in the right place and at the right time.

“Rather than closing children’s centre services in four of the borough’s locations, the council is actually protecting services via a different deliver model and broadening their reach into our wider communities.

“No centres are closing.

“These proposals for revised service delivery will allow the council to build further on its aspirations for a far more effective delivery of services, working with partners and addressing a far wider range of family needs and concerns.

“We believe that the proposals for change in the borough will support better outcomes for children across Cheshire East.”

The council has said that the ‘de-designation’ and reorganisation of services will save around £500,000 a year.

Several jobs will also be lost in the reorganisation, including management and back office roles but the council said it ‘hopes’ staff affected by the job cuts will be redeployed in the authority, with no compulsory redundancies.