A centre offering vital services to the community is under threat of closure in a cost-cutting exercise.

Gravesham’s Gateway, based in the Civic Centre in Gravesend, is one of 10 centres facing a cut in funding from KCC.

The council claimed it could not afford to fund the centres due to budget cuts and will be holding consultations to look into the future of Gravesham services in the next 18 months.

Cabinet member for traded service Bryan Sweetland said: “To make sure every pound spent in Kent is delivering better outcomes for our customers, communities and businesses, we must review the services we provide and where we provide them from to ensure we are getting value for money."

Up to 60 different organisations use the Gravesham Gateway, which opened in 2010, including Job Centre Plus, homeless charity Porchlight and the Citizens Advice Bureau. There is also a Kent Police reception desk and an area for people to find out about adult education services.

KCC pioneered the “one-stop-shop” concept of gateways as a way of improving the public’s access to key public services, opening them mainly in town centres.

Cllr Sweetland said: "Over the coming months, we will be looking at all the locations where we use a Gateway Service to ensure that these continue to offer value for money – including Gravesham.

"We may propose changes to some Gateway's and those affected will have a separate consultation to look at the options for relocating our services."

It spent £2.5 million on the centres last year, of which £996,000 went on staff costs.

Gravesham council leader Cllr John Cubitt said that whatever the outcome of the consultation, the council will work hard to ensure the people of Gravesham are not left going without.

He said: “If KCC do decide they want to curtail our Gateway then we will endeavour to do our best to keep the services we think are worthwhile open.”