ESSEX County Council is to carry out a U-turn on proposals to close Acorn Children’s Centre in Halstead after parents criticised the plans.

Cabinet members are to meet on Tuesday to confirm the Beridge Road centre will continue to be run, but will be converted to a “family hub delivery site” and have its opening times cut by 10 hours.

Parents and staff attending a public meeting at Acorn Children’s Centre in February heavily criticised the proposal to move services to the community resource centre on Parsonage Street.

They questioned why Dick Madden, county councillor responsible for children and adult services, wanted to shut a purpose-built centre.

Following a public consultation and an outcry, Acorns is set to remain open.

Selina Davies, a mum of one who uses the centre, said: “I am ecstatic and over the moon the centre is being kept open. It is where I have met a lot of my friends and I have done a lot of the courses there.

“It really has helped me as a new mum and someone who has just moved to the area to learn as a parent so I have a nice happy little boy.

“It is a huge boost and will make a huge difference to all users now that it is being kept open.”

Another mum who uses the centre said: “It is important for the Acorn Children’s Centre to stay open and run services from its current location because the building is like the heart of the community for families in this town.

"The building is purpose-built and the staff have worked hard to get it to what it is now.

“It has a lovely garden which clearly had a lot of money spent on it.

“Why spend more money when you have a site that is already perfect?

“I also know there were many safeguarding concerns with the alternative location as this site would be open to the general public and other services would be running from there.

“Families want a building that is exclusively for their children.”

Halstead town councillors also welcomed the news.

Shirley Diver, Halstead Mayor and Halstead Town Council representative on the committee for the Acorn Centre, said: “I an very relieved this turnaround has happened and Essex County Council has changed its thoughts. I’m also very sure the Acorn Children’s Centre its self will be very pleased.

“It does a lot of work that is very much needed in this area and the staff have worked extremely hard at building a very strong trust between themselves and the people that they help and advise.

“I’m really thrilled this has come about, and I’m sure the people that use it will be just as delighted.”

Rainbow Children’s Centre in Sible Hedingham is set to be closed with a “family hub outreach site” set to open within Sible Hedingham Library.

Similarly, Earls Colne’s Valley Children’s Centre will be replaced by a “Family hub outreach site” opening in Earls Colne Library.

Mr Madden said: “At the heart of the model is a focus to better target support to those families which need it most, using a hub and spoke model for children’s centres, with 12 main locations, one per district, providing support, combined with localised outreach centres.

“Amendments to the original proposals are based on the community’s responses to the consultation.

“Our approach takes the children’s centre to the village hall, or even the front room, and makes sure that the families who need support most, receive it wherever they live.

“This is not about bricks and mortar. It is about services we provide to vulnerable families who need us, wherever they are. And this means as much outreach as possible.”