DEDICATED parents have won the fight to save a “vital” nursery and an out-of-school club from closure following a campaign and petition which attracted 538 signatures.

Blandford Children’s Centre will be restructured in order to keep it open, which will mean that several staff members will lose their jobs or be encouraged to take voluntary redundancy.

The new model proposed by Dorset County Council does not include nursery provision for children under two years old, so the baby room will close unless an alternative structure is adopted.

Fees will increase to make the service financially viable, as Blandford Children’s Centre and Shaftesbury Children’s Centre were predicted to lose £134,000 by April 2014 if kept open.

Caroline Wawman who was a central figure in the campaign to keep the children’s centre open said: “I think the overall feeling is of tentative positivity.”

“The new model will come into effect on September 1 and will be reviewed at the end of December – a lot of concern was raised at the meeting about this review period not being for long enough. They have taken note of our concerns and will rethink this”.

More investment will be made to the administration side of the nursery under the new model and a dedicated administrator will be appointed.

Oscars after school and holiday club will remain open as it is currently not losing money.

Petitions to save both Blandford Children’s Centre and Shaftesbury Children’s Centre attracted hundreds of signatures as they were said to provide “essential childcare for working and vulnerable people.”

There will be a meeting to discuss the fate of Shaftesbury Children’s Centre tomorrow from 7pm to 9pm at the children’s centre.

Cllr Rebecca Knox, cabinet member for children’s safeguarding and families at Dorset County Council, said: “We have decided to continue funding the nurseries and out of school club, but are talking with parents and staff about how we can change and improve the way they operate to make them viable for the future.”