COUNCIL bosses are looking to cut the number of “designated” children’s centres in Wirral as part of plans to reduce its budget.

Wirral Council plans to reduce the borough’s 16 centres to four “hubs”, along with another four retained for outreach provision.

Under the plans, the remaining sites will either be transferred to schools for nursery care or the council will be forced to ask other organisations to take them over.

Wirral’s ruling cabinet approved the plans on Thursday, with a six-week consultation due to begin.

A report to Thursday’s meeting said the current position of sustaining 16 designated children’s centres that “all deliver the core purpose offer is not viable”.

The authority is looking to cut £2m from the service’s current total budget of £6m.

Council leader Phil Davies said it was a “sensible approach” and praised those who had taken part in the review.

He said: “I am really proud that, unlike other authorities, we will not be closing any of our children’s centres.”

Around 95 staff work in the centres but documents included in the report suggest a future staffing structure of 43 roles.

While Wirral Council is currently consulting on £4m of options for service cuts, from which the authority needs to make savings of £2.5m, the savings from children’s centres are part of budget options agreed last year.

Under the proposals, the main children’s centres would be based at Seacombe, Pensby, Eastham and Brassey Gardens in Birkenhead.

Four outreach centres would be at New Brighton, West Kirby, New Ferry and St Cathcart Street in Birkenhead, while centres at Bebington and Greasby would either be designated as outreach centres or operated in partnership with nearby schools.

Centres at Ganneys Meadow in Woodchurch and Leasowe would become maintained nursery schools with what the council describes as “extended services”.

The remaining centres at Bromborough, Liscard, Claughton, Rock Ferry and Prenton have been designated for “partnership delivery” under the plans.

The plans would see the council retain the buildings.

Cllr Davies added: “Hopefully we will have a new government next year and we can start to build these vital services back up.”

A consultation is expected to start in April 2015.