SWINDON Council has announced the first cluster of children’s centres has been put out to tender.

The centres which have been provided for include the Penhill and Pinehurst Sure Start Centre as well as the Moredon, Gorse Hill and Drove Children’s Centres.

The new provider for the centres will be 4Children, which is a national provider of children’s centres, although these will be the first they operate in Swindon.

As it stands the council runs the Sure Start Centre, Moredon and Drove are operated by the White Horse Federation and Gorse Hill is run by Gorse Hill Primary School.

A spokesman for the council said: “We are looking forward to welcoming and working with them.

“Officers will be working closely with 4Children and the current providers over the next few months to ensure that there is as smooth a transition as possible. This will ensure that 4Children can start work on May 1, 2014, with the best possible opportunity to deliver a great service to families.”

The council announced plans last summer to reshape the running of all 14 of the town’s children centres to reduce costs and, despite public opposition, they have pushed forward with the proposals.