Councillors passed the new charges at a meeting earlier this month. They would have resulted in fees rising as high as $415 per week. 

But they last night voted to implement a lesser price rise of $60 from July to December, followed by a full-price hike next year. 

Ten parents spoke at the meeting about the impact the rise would have, with one choking back tears as she said the charges could lead to centre closures and staff losing their jobs. 

Another, Joanne Cakebread, asked whether councillors had “given any consideration of the impact this will have on working parents”. 

“Has there been any consideration for the fact some people will no longer work?” the mother of two asked.  

“It will cost some more to send children through childcare than the wage they will get from work.” 

Sally Phillips asked why the charges had come at such short notice and given families little chance to plan around them. 

Another mother said the city’s children would have borne the impact of the price hike. 

But council staff noted ratepayers would still subsidise childcare and said a lot of the costs were dictated by government. 

Councillor Cox, who voted against the initial rise, said councillors shouldn’t backflip on the decision made three weeks ago due to public pressure.

Councillor Elise Chapman said she had put her children through childcare for almost a decade and said ratepayers subsidised the costs for parents, which caused two mothers to walk out of the meeting in anger. 

Mayor Lisa Ruffell said there had been significant changes in the childcare industry in recent years which had driven up costs which the council hadn’t passed on at the time. 

“At no time do I feel that I am pressured by the community ... I am listening to them,” she said. 

“Maybe we should have listened to them weeks back when we passed the fees. I do not believe I am going down with community pressure, I have listened to so many people ... they are concerned.”

Cr Ruffell acknowledged there hadn’t been enough notice of the changes, which she said should change. 

Parents welcomed the decision after the meeting. 

“It’s better than it was,” Paul Robins said. 

“It will give people time to plan.”

Sandra Lindsay said she had been angered by Cr Chapman’s comments but was happy with the amended fees. 

Ms Cakebread said she was also relieved by the changes. 

“I think it definitely is a reasonable decision, more manageable,” she said. 

“It gives us the ability to budget and plan.” 

The council will also seek a meeting with Minister for Childcare Kate Ellis to advocate for an increase to childcare rebates and outline the issues caused by government guidelines.