FIFTEEN new children's centres are on the way to Kirklees, it was revealed today.

Leading councillors unveiled plans to more than double the existing number of 14 by the end of next year if their spending plans are approved.

But they admitted that three Huddersfield children's nurseries will have to go - a move which has led to protests.

Parents of children at the three threatened nurseries met late yesterday and vowed to continue their battle to keep them open.

They were backed by Labour councillors, who say budgets can be adapted to keep the nurseries open.

The nurseries are Tiddlywinks at the Deighton Centre, Sankofa on Great Northern Street, Hillhouse, and the Cambridge Road Nursery near the town centre.

The children's centre proposals were unveiled by the council's ruling Tory group days after the Examiner revealed that the three nurseries could shut.

Clr Jim Dodds said Kirklees would be doubling the number of children's centres in the district over the next two years.

The Cabinet member responsible for children's services said: "Expanding and modernising services to meet the needs of children and their families across the district is at the forefront of the council's priorities for young people.

"It does inevitably mean these new services will replace existing ones, which are directly affected by the wider expansion programme.

"There will be a phased programme to ensure a smooth changeover and a continued high-quality service, based locally.

Clr Dodds said 40% of places in the three nurseries were unfilled, leaving 125 children going to them.

The nurseries were subsidised by a total of £450,000 a year, he added.

Clr Dodds said: "Far from cutting spending on children's centres and nursery provision, we are substantially increasing our commitment to meet what parents want.

"We have built 14 new children's centres and plan to create a further 15 by 2008.

"We have analysed childcare places within easy travelling distance of the three Huddersfield nurseries to ensure places are available.

"By the time these proposals are phased in the existing children at the nurseries will be in mainstream education."

Staff at the nurseries will be moved to the new centres.

Further talks with staff and unions will take place after the council budget meeting on February 28.

But Labour councillors want the three nurseries to remain open.

Clr Ken Smith, Ashbrow ward member and deputy leader of the Labour Group, said: "Labour councillors will not accept any Tory plan made by a Cabinet with no Huddersfield members to reduce nursery places in hard-pressed areas.

"These nurseries provide a vital service for children and parents."

A parent of a child at Tiddlywinks said: "We are determined to fight to keep these nurseries open.

"Some of the children are children of people who went there years ago and the care has always been first-class."