CHILDREN’s centre staff have been told they are set to lose their jobs just days before Christmas.

Oxfordshire County Council yesterday confirmed it had sent redundancy letters to 90 people, who are due to leave in February, as part of a controversial reorganisation.

Their departure will be in addition to 24 staff who accepted voluntary redundancy and another eight children’s centre teachers who were already handed redundancy notices, the local authority said.

A spokesman admitted the timing of the announcement was ‘very regrettable’, blaming it on a legal challenge brought by two parents against the changes.

The challenge was defeated at the High Court in July but lawyers appealed against the decision, securing an injunction to stop the council moving forward with its plans.

This was quashed by the Court of Appeal on December 8 but meant a planned announcement of redundancies on November 28 was delayed, the council said.

In a statement, it added: “The High Court’s judgement was this was a case without merit.

"Not only did this prolong the uncertainty for our staff and further burden the public purse, but the court directed that the council could not provide staff with clarity about their employment.

“This has been a very difficult process for staff, who have waited a long time for clarity.

“The timing of today’s news is very regrettable, but could not be delayed further.”

A spokesman claimed the court challenge had cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds.

But a council staff member who contacted the Oxford Mail yesterday said the timing of the job losses was ‘disgusting’.

The staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The restructuring process has caused a huge amount of stress.

“Most were interviewed in October or November but are only finding out today if they will still have a job, just days before Christmas.

“It is going to have a huge impact on communities and morale is on the floor.

“I am a long-term employee and have seen lots of these situations, but this is the worst.”

Under changes to services, the council plans to axe funding for universal services at 44 children’s centres.

Instead it will offer support to the most vulnerable families through a network of eight ‘hubs’ and some smaller centres.

It has offered some ‘transition’ funding to community groups who want to try and keep open under-threat centres, with volunteers expected to show how they can become ‘self-sufficient’.