A decision to cut jobs at York's council-run family centres will mean some families having to go without the service.

Plans to cut one family centre worker post at each of the city's three centres at Clifton, Heworth and Holgate, to save £51,000 have been approved by City of York Council's social services committee.

In an effort to help make up the authority's £4.7million budget shortfall, councillors had considered a £225,000 savings plan, which included shutting one of the centres, but this was scrapped in favour of these new moves, which save £75,000.

Meg Munn, assistant director children's services, told last night's committee meeting the cut in workers would mean between five and ten families "in the lower level of concern" receiving no service.

Coun Carol Runciman said: "I think everybody around this table regrets this decision, but is relieved that one of the centres is not shutting."

Lib Dem colleague Coun Harry Briggs said: "I'm very unhappy about letting any family centre workers go.

"If we cannot help people who are having difficulty in raising their family in these early stages, then it costs us more in the longer term."

He said it cost the authority £1,700 a week to keep a young person in one of its children's homes and added that fostering and adoption were also costly.

But committee chairman Coun Bob Fletcher said the picture of the future which Coun Briggs had painted was "embellished beyond belief".

Last night, members also approved a recommendation to set up a working group to examine and set the long-term objectives of the service.

The family centre service currently has three centre managers, 21 "whole time equivalent" family centre workers and nine family aids directly supporting about 100 families.

Up to 120 families can use the centres' toy libraries and activity groups.

A current family centre worker vacancy at one of the centres means "re-deployment opportunities" need to be found for two others to make the saving.

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