More than one hundred demonstrators marched through Wandsworth on Wednesday night in protest against proposed cuts against one o'clock clubs.

The march began in Garratt Lane and then went round the Wandsworth one-way system and ended up at the town hall prior to the monthly full council meeting.

The protesters were largely made up of affected mothers and children but also Unison trade union members and campaigners.

A spokesman for Wandsworth Against Cuts said: "It was a really lively protest, with parents and children singing and chanting 'save our centres, save our centres'.

"The public are growing more disenchanted with their elected officials, to the point where they feel that direct action and disruptions are necessary to have their concerns heard."

In February, Wandsworth Council voted to close one o'clock clubs across the borough to make way for nursery places.

But new government policy means it is obligatory for local authorities to provide disadvantaged two-year-olds with a minimum of 15 hours of free childcare.

The decision has angered many mums, across the borough, who rely on the service.

During February's meeting, councillors at the Education and Children's Services committee meeting voted to consult on proposals to change centre's into nurseries.

The consultation will run until August.

The council will have to provide 894 places for disadvantaged toddlers by September this year, as well as a further 894 by September 2014.

A spokesman for the council, said: "The council is looking at the best ways of implementing new Government policy to give disadvantaged children a better start in life.

"This involves creating 1,800 free nursery places for two-year-olds from lower income families.

 

"Creating such a large number of new places is a major challenge and means some changes are necessary to the way that some council-owned buildings currently operate.

We are however committed to maintaining "stay and play facilities" at as many locations in the borough as possible and are working closely with nursery providers and voluntary groups to ensure that stay and play sessions can continue at the one of clock centres at a range of times throughout the working day and also make them available on Saturdays for the first time.

 

"In addition, parents can also access these services at the 14 council-run children’s centres located across the borough and also at various playgroups and children’s centres run by voluntary sector groups in Wandsworth."