A CHILDREN'S centre which gives vital support to youngsters in one of Wales' most deprived communities will shut this summer - unless funding can be found to keep it open.

The future of Gwenfro Valley Integrated Children's Centre (ICC) in Queensway, Caia Park, hangs in the balance while staff wait to hear whether applications for key funding have been successful.

If not, the centre will be lost to the 1,500 children who have visited in the last two years, and their parents, unless funds can be found within weeks.

Caia Park Community Councillor Colin Powell, who manages the centre which has been open for 13 years says staff have already started to leave and a date of Saturday, July 14 has been set for closure - ironically just before the school summer holidays.

He says an application for funding has been made to the community council - but as he has to declare an interest, he cannot be informed of where discussions are up to.

The centre was also formerly funded through the Welsh Government's Communities First programme, which ended last year.

An application has been made to Wrexham Council, which oversees the distribution of the Communities First legacy fund, and they are waiting to hear whether they have been successful.

But Cllr Powell says the waiting cannot go on for much longer or the centre will close.

"There was a meeting in February to discuss the potential for funding play provision in Caia and a survey was being developed to find out what local residents felt was important to them, what they felt money should be spent on", he said.

"But we are four months down the line and I don't know where that's got to.

"Wrexham Council's executive board did also discuss the Communities First legacy funding at the end of the financial year, and we put a submission in, raising it as a matter of urgency but that has gone very, very quiet.

"Until we hear anything, Saturday, July 14 will be the last day of delivery. Staff will stay on for a week after that to clear up and remove equipment but after that we don't know what the future holds.

"It is ironic that it will happen just before the summer holidays when we usually help with the Holiday Hunger project and provide lunches to children that might not get one at home.

"There are going to be some kids that struggle without that, and some parents that struggle without it too."

He added: "When the impact of this kicks in there will be questions asked of where these children will go now, what are they doing, what provision is there for them.

"I've had children and local residents come up to me on a weekly basis to ask what's happening but I have to tell them I genuinely don't know.

"It's a well-used, well-liked provision and it doesn't cost an awful lot to run. Children come here of their own volition and it will be very sad if they lose these facilities.

"I know Communities First is no longer there but the principle of developing services in our poorest communities in Wales should remain.

"We talk about child poverty, and this is a much, much valued service that could be going."