Residents across Nottingham say the city's most deprived people are being let down after the council revealed which of its children's centres could close.
Nottingham City Council announced the five centres that are set to be shut, subject to consultation, as part of plans to close a £28m funding gap.
It has led to fears that children will be left with "no alternatives", say residents in the effected areas.
Centres in Aspley (Amesbury Circus and Minver Crescent), Bilborough (Wigman Road), Bulwell (Steadfold Close, Crabtree Road) and Sneinton (Edale Road) could close if new providers are not found.
Meanwhile, services in Broxtowe, Hyson Green, the Meadows and Southglade (Bestwood / Top Valley), are to be kept open.
In Aspley, two centres could potentially close their doors. Gillian Bainbridge, who helped set up two separate community centres in the suburb, said it would have a "significant impact" on local families.
The 69-year-old, who is now retired, said: "The children's centres support parents with very young families, the impact would be quite significant.
"I don't know exactly how many people use the centre but I know there are a lot of people that use their outreach services. The more community services that are available the better. There are large estates with a lot of young families there."
Nina Bowldrey, a 36-year-old mum said that she was "annoyed and frustrated".
“It’s hard enough to find play groups for my little girl and they’ve now made it harder," she said.
"There are some alternatives but they’re not the same. They’re smaller. There’s one playgroup we’re going to tomorrow in the library and it’s a quarter of the size, so children can’t run around and burn off that energy that they need to burn off.
“The children’s centre in Aspley is fantastic, they’ve got fantastic staff and they do some excellent things. The council are letting down the area. They’re letting down all areas. Because the children need it and it’s not fair on them.”
Nottingham City Council says cuts to the services, which offer a range of advice and support for families, are largely due to continued reduction in central government funding, unmet costs of Covid spending and increased demand and cost of statutory services.
However, people across Nottingham feel those who are worse off will be feeling the effects the most.
"There’s not an alternative for kids, there’s no money for the working class and there’s nothing for people who are deprived," said Winston Smith, who has lived in Sneinton for 20 years.
"And what there is keeps disappearing year on year and the Sure Start Centre is one of them. Year on year we get less and less and we’re paying more and more."
The 40-year-old added: “Obviously a Tory government isn’t going to care for working class people in a working class area and neither is the council."
Steven Marshall, a 37-year-old painter decorator from Sneinton said that people "need to have more of them, not close them down".
"Areas like this are being let down by the council and you can tell just by looking at it," he added.
"It’s a rundown area and it needs a bit of attention, and closing the children’s centre just makes it worse.”
David Smith, a 53-year-old software engineer from Colwick, added: “There are other ways you can save money rather than depriving children on these kinds of places. It’s going to have a huge impact on those who are less fortunate.”
Reductions in youth and play services and charges for second and third parking permits are also being considered as part of cuts.
Meanwhile, protestors have been campaigning against the council proposing to sell off libraries across the city in a bid to save money.
The savings also follow 'unlawful' payments by the city council after it took £15.86 million from its ring-fenced Housing Revenue Account, which is used for council homes and tenants, and used it for its General Fund for all council services.
This recently prompted an external auditor to revisit its risk assessment of the council after it looked into the downfall of Robin Hood Energy, which ultimately resulted in the loss of many millions in taxpayer cash which could have been spent elsewhere.
Nottingham City Council also remains in the dark over whether government commissioners will take over the local authority.
Labour Councillor Cheryl Barnard, portfolio holder for children and young people at the City Council, said it was an "incredibly difficult" proposal to put forward.
"We know how important the services are to people who attend children's centres, which is why we are aiming to protect as much of the service provision as possible," she said.
"We remain strongly committed to supporting families at the earliest opportunity and we will work with partners and communities across Nottingham to do this.
"The proposals ensure that 86 percent of likely service users are within 30 minutes of a centre by public transport or 43 percent are within 20 minutes' walk of a centre."
The second phase consultation on the proposals is open and will run until April 22.
In other city council news, the sale of the former Angel Row library - unrelated to other city libraries proposed for closure - has moved a step closer.
The former library was shut in the early stages of the pandemic ahead of the new state-of-the art Central Library opening within the new Broadmarsh Bus Station and Car Park.
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