A kindergarten manager has written a letter signed by 11 other schools and nurseries proposing another option to combat the proposed closure of Sure Start children’s centres across the Towns.

Councillors voted to launch a public consultation on the future of all 19 centres across Medway earlier this year, after a government funding cut meant the local authority will have £1.6m less to spend on early years services.

The preferred option is to close the 19 and create four larger “super hubs”. Another plan is to shut them altogether. The proposals sparked outrage amongst mums and Nikki Bromley, manager of Kloisters Kindergarten, Arethusa Road, Rochester, has come up with another idea.

The 47-year-old Walderslade resident has written to Ian Sutherland, Medway Council’s director of children’s services and chief executive Neil Davies. The mum-of-two outlines her plan of create the four super hubs but keeping some established children’s centres as satellites to serve a wider area.

The letter has been signed by 17 people from 11 schools and nurseries including Jane Shields, head teacher of Delce Infant School, Rochester and Denise Curzon, head teacher of St Peter’s Infant School, Rochester.

It states: “Our proposal of certain children’s centres being used as satellites will combat isolation by providing parents with help more on their doorstep, otherwise Medway Council will run the risk of the barriers the children’s centres have broken down to reach the most disadvantaged families going back up.”

Mrs Bromley said: “These hubs will not be able to cope with the footfall the current 19 centres have – especially with less staff. Mums aren’t going to be able to afford to travel to these hubs with young children in tow.

“I’ve heard they are planning to have police and social workers in some of the hubs which means that some of the most vulnerable families won’t go to them. This is the best option and it has a lot of support.”

The consultation, which closes at 5pm today features the council’s preferred proposal to have four superhubs.

If approved, they would serve Gillingham and Twydall, Luton and Rainham, Stood Peninsula/Rochester West and Rochester East/Chatham/Walderslade.

At the very least, Mrs Bromley’s plan would include having satellite centres serving the Delce, Rochester, Isle of Grain/Hoo Peninsula and Gillingham.