Campaigners desperate to save family hub services are to stage a demo outside County Hall later this week.

The protest will take place ahead of a debate at Kent County Council (KCC) on the loss of Seashells centre in Sheerness as a provider, which was sparked by a petition signed by more than 6,000 local people.

KCC unveiled proposals earlier this year to shut the service in its ongoing drive to save enough money to stave off bankruptcy.

Seashells Chief Executive Officer Jim Duncan and county councillor Mike Whiting will lead a protest outside the KCC headquarters in Maidstone on November 7 from 9am.

KCC claims the loss of Seashells and Millmead in Margate will help the authority- which must find savings of more than £100m in the coming years - shave around £425,000 off the budget.

The council says the same services are available elsewhere locally.

Among many, Seashells provides children with safe swimming, money management advice, lessons in healthy eating and play classes which were funded by KCC.

Isle of Sheppey resident and mother of a young son Elaine Betts will have to consider using the alternatives suggested by KCC which certainly would not be within walking distance from her home nearby.

She said: “Kent is trying to save money, I know. But I was shocked and very disappointed at hearing the news and I think it will be a great loss.”

Independent Cllr Whiting said, “Petition debates at KCC are very rare, and this debate has only been made possible by the 6,100 people who signed the petition to keep Seashells open.

“This is an extraordinary number, and I would personally like to thank each and every one of those who signed it.

“The centre means so much to so many disadvantaged families on Sheppey, and has done so for over 20 years. It is Kent’s flagship Family Hub, offering 44 different services to those it supports.”

Cllr Whiting claimed 2,793 families used one of the nine hubs in the Swale borough but Seashells alone accounted for 1,869 of those.

He said alternative services set up in The Gateway in Sheerness High Street, is “totally unsuitable” as it would not cope with the numbers currently catered for by the existing provider. “

Cllr Whiting added: “ I believe its open access to the general public creates significant safeguarding issues for vulnerable children and families, issues which I don’t think were addressed in KCC’s recent consultation.

“Seashells serves one of the most deprived wards in England, with over 800 children living in poverty. It is a vital lifeline for the current generation as it was for the last.”

Thursday’s full council meeting will only hear the debate and does not make any decision on the centre’s future.

Previously, Cllr Sue Chandler (Con), cabinet member for integrated children’s services at KCC,e said: “Following the introduction of our new Family Hub model across Kent last year, the management cost for these two commissioned services creates a duplication as KCC is also paying for the management of the in-house services on offer at KCC Family Hubs across the districts of Swale and Thanet.

“By not renewing these contracts when they naturally come to an end in March 2025, we can make a much-needed efficiency saving whilst continuing to provide essential services for families and young people in these areas.”