Children are demanding Wirral Council does not close their playgroups accusing them of “taking away our childhoods.”
The council is currently looking to close its £32m budget gap as councillors set the local authority's spending for next year.
As part of budget proposals put forward by the council, three playgroups could be closed in the Leasowe, Beechwood, and Gautby areas as the council looks to cut services back across the board.
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No final decisions have been made on the budget proposals but in order to balance its budget, the local authority is expected to make sweeping cuts.
The council is required by law to set a balanced budget and if it fails to do this, it could face declaring bankruptcy and a government intervention.
Three services are at risk which are the Leasowe Adventure Playground, Gautby Play Scheme, and the Beechwood Play Scheme. As the services are not required by law, they could be cut out of the budget completely.
Currently nine staff are employed at the play centres which “supports child development and education through play.” Cutting it could save the council nearly £300,000.
Two protests were organised with Bidston councillors Liz Grey, Brian Kenny and Julie McManus on January 17 at Gautby and Beechwood.
Chantelle Brady, a parent whose children use the Gautby centre said: “It gives our kids the best start in life and teaches them good behaviour and respect.”
The children in the play schemes also want to see them stay. Brooklyn Platt said: “They take us places lots of us couldn’t afford to go and we get all these amazing experiences. You take this away and you are taking away our childhoods.”
Dylan Bowden, 9, from Beechwood, said: “We need the Play Scheme because it’s fun. I’d be so bored without it.”
Cllr Julie McManus said the schemes were vital and during the school holidays, the Beechwood centre feeds over 100 kids a day.
Jade Catterall, who uses Gautby Road, said: "The Play Scheme is important because it is at the heart of safeguarding these kids. It’s the only place some of them get a hot meal in the holidays and the experiences offered here, they could never get in the rest of their lives.”
Letters have also been sent to Wirral Council from the children ahead of a Children, Young People, and Education committee meeting next week on January 24.
Cllr Brian Kenny said: “I have seen, at first hand, the positive value of playschemes for young people. I’m determined to do all I can to ensure that such positive activities continue to be provided. All young people need support and encouragement, and it is imperative that they are given that.”
Parents also worry that if the playschemes close, there could be wider issues around anti-social behaviour with fears problems could get worse.
Tracy Quinlan added: “We’ve been coming here since we were kids. Now we bring our own kids here. They’re safe here. We are scared to let them out in the street to play. I wouldn’t let mine out.”
Eve Barrett, trust manager of the St James Centre which is near to Gautby, said: “Play is a human right and we believe we as a society should be doing everything we can to protect the opportunities children in communities like ours have to access play.
"Gautby Road and the Playscheme are a valued partner to St James Centre, we see first hand the difference the playscheme and the staff make in children and families’ lives.”
Ahead of next week's meeting, Cllr Liz Grey said: "We fought successfully to save two local schools and we will fight to save our two local play schemes. It would be a false economy to get rid of them when they provide so much for the local communities.”
“There is support across the community too, with partners backing the campaign to keep services running."
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