THE controversial downgrading of five Blackburn with Darwen Council children’s centres is set to be approved this week – despite the threat of legal action by the governors of one of the services.

Senior councillors will rubber-stamp the new model which will see eight centres become ‘hubs’ with the other five as ‘spokes’, with reduced services, as part of the borough’s efforts to cut £30m spending.

The plans are almost unchanged from those originally proposed in March, despite three months of consultation.

The only major change is upgrading Wensley Fold Children’s Centre from spoke status to hub, in place of John Smethurst which will take the satellite status.

This is because the nearby St James’ Primary School will take over early years’ education.

The council has given a longer transition period for parents who use the centres for under-fours for more than the statutory three free hours a day to find alternative provision.

The September deadline for the end of the extra care has been extended to March, helping a dozen families unable, so far, to find a satisfactory substitute, and 60 whose toddlers start school that month.

Despite the changes, children’s services boss Frank Connor will tell his colleagues on the council’s executive board tomorrow the full target of £893,000 savings over the next two years will be achieved.

To do this, 97 out of 300 existing posts will go through voluntary redundancy, early retirement, redeployment, and in 17 cases compulsory redundancy.

He will assure colleagues he is confident that the consultation process means a threatened legal challenge by governors at Longshaw nursery school and children’s centre, in Crosby Road, can be defended in court.

There will be an upgraded outreach service.

Coun Connor said: “No Labour politician likes this kind of exercise, but I am confident this is the best solution in the current circumstances.

“I do not believe children and families will suffer. I am happy to talk to parents about future provision at Longshaw.”

Sean Long, chairman of governors at Longshaw, said: “We will be going ahead with legal action and will be taking a petition and protesting at the executive board meeting.”