A social services boss has asked defiant mothers to form a parents' group to work with staff on children's services.

Southend's director Jane Held met placard-waving mums, angry at plans to downgrade their Westcliff family resource centre.

As a result, Ms Held promised the Marigold Centre would not close.

Around 15 placard-waving parents, many with children in tow, marched through Southend town centre.

They descended on the social services office, Queensway House, in Essex Street to confront Ms Held about job cuts at the centre.

Ms Held said she welcomed the chance to speak to parents - and assured them there was "absolutely no question of the centre closing."

She said the decision to cut costs was made, as social services was not doing enough to help children at risk in the town.

She recognised the Marigold Centre was doing a "fantastic job" , but said changes had to be made to help more people.

She added: "I am in charge of about 300 children and some have not seen a social worker for four or five years. This is not good enough."

"I have asked the representatives to form a parents' group to work with the staff on the changes, to find ways of keeping things they value.

"I have also offered to meet them in three months to see how the re-structuring is going."

She went on: "The more we listen to each other, rather than fighting, the better."

Ms Held said in future, social services would work with charities and other groups, commissioning them to provide services, rather than always doing it directly.

A charity helpline would serve as a point of contact for mums in need - something Marigold Centre currently does.

She added: "We are not the only people with skills in looking after people, so we need to harness this."

One of the mums - who asked not to be named - said: "Jane Held did say she admired us for going this far.

"We are not stopping. We're not giving up. We are interested in forming a group or parents' council working alongside with some of the staff.

"There are ways around it. If they seriously don't want to affect that centre and leave it as it is, they would leave it alone. We need that centre. We need it to stay as it is."

Two-year-old Chloe Zammit, left, certainly made her point!

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL About the Marigold Centre

The Marigold Centre, in Avenue Road, Westcliff, offers counselling and courses to help parents to deal with problems including child abuse, post-natal depression, losing a child and child behavioural problems.

It also acts as a drop-in centre for mums needing advice or someone to listen and teaches effective parenting and assertiveness.

Councillors voted at the end of last month to axe 17 full-time jobs at the centre as part of forced budget cuts this year.

The centre has been run by 11 full-time and 11 part-time staff, including a team manager, two social workers, six nursery officers and nine assistant social workers.

Users of the centre have come to rely on it as a lifeline and were concerned about the services it provides would be replaced after the staff cuts.

Mum-of-five, Kelly Turner, 29, of Southend, said: "We rely on the centre. You can ring them and they will come out to help you that day.

"I am worried there will not be anyone to help us after the cuts. You can't get what the centre provides from the rest of social services."

Another mum, Sharon Shaw, 35, of Saxon Gardens, Shoebury, criticised the council for the amount they spend on "showpiece" events such as the annual mayor-making ceremony or the Queen's visit to the town. She said: "Events like that must cost them a fortune, yet they are cutting our services."

The protest was supported by health union, Unison.

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