Parents have just hours left to respond to Islington Council’s cost-cutting plans for its early childhood service, which many fear could have a damaging effect.

The town hall wants to create an integrated service, bringing together health, schools and voluntary sector provision, and have held a month-long consultation, which ends today.

Bosses have vowed to not close any of the borough’s 16 children’s centres, but said there may be changes to “timetables and venues”, with services run from “three locality areas”.

But parents who use the facilities believe services could be taken out of children’s centres and moved to community centres or libraries, which they say are not suitable and could impact children’s wellbeing and development.

A response on behalf of “parents and carers of Islington” has been submitted, calling on the council to reconsider the “detrimental plans”.

New mum Juliette Toop, of Tufnell Park Road, visits centres two or three times a week with her five-month old baby.

“These are brilliant, amazing places,” she said. “I do singing classes, stay and play, there’s breast-feeding support groups, sessions for young mums and mums who need support.

“People are really upset about the possibility of the services moving. It’s not like they aren’t well attended. You have 10 mums with their babies on a quiet day.

“I’ve written to 15 councillors about it and had one response. It’s really frustrating. Surely the people that make the decisions have children.”

To respond to the consultation, click here.