Hillingdon parents shared emotional stories as they pleaded the council to re-consider axing two children's centres at a hearing which saw nine petitions presented to the local authority.

School staff and parents gathered at the Uxbridge Civic Centre on Wednesday (February 2) evening to express their anger and disappointment after proposals to close two children's centres in Hayes and in Northwood were announced.

Leila Melhem, who lives in Northwood and organised one of the petitions, said in her speech the centres were a "warm, welcoming place".

She said: "I had a difficult delivery and the children's centre helped me get my daughter to feed and from then, I attended on a near weekly basis.

"It was a lifeline for me. It's nearby but travelling to another centres isn't an option, transport means some can't afford to get there and c-section mothers can't drive for six weeks.

"Residents feel betrayed about the cuts."

Nine petitions were heard in the Hillingdon Council Chamber on Wednesday (February 1)

The mother also raised the issue of Hillingdon Council choosing to freeze a council tax hike, but promising services cuts would not go ahead.

At least 780 people signed her online petition to keep Hillside Children's Centre open, which has 13 nurseries and four schools linked to the centre.

Each of the nine petitions were heard, which raised the points of a growing population in the borough and anger that consultations were not "transparent" enough for people to oppose the plans properly.

Two Hillingdon children's centres are expected to close next year

Assistant headteacher of Charville Primary School, Sam Gemmill, said at the meeting: "I've been supporting work of children's centre for seven years.

"I think its apparent that your residents are not happy and it's something we would urge you to consider.

"We at Charville don't feel like its been a consultation, but is something that was done to us.

"Our views haven't been taken into account and we feel there hasn't been a transparency in the process."

A petition has been launched on change.org

Councillor David Simmonds, deputy leader of Hillingdon Council, who representations on the petitions, said about the budgets: "As a council we have to set a budget each year and each year we need to make that budget balanced and we look to do that the best way we can by reviewing every aspect of services that the council provides.

"Whilst I am concerned about the impact it will have on individuals, I make no apology for the fact that on behalf of our residents we will always do that, we will always try to see if there's a better, more efficient way to do what we can."

The Hillingdon hearing took place on February 1

The proposals come as part of a £415,000 saving to the council's budget, consisting of £200,000 savings from "children centre expenditure" and £215,000 described as a "review of children centre delivery model".

Hillingdon Council is planning to close centres at Uxbridge College in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes and at Hillside Primary School in Northwood Way, Northwood from April 2017.

Each centre serves around 800 to 1,000 children under the age of five.

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