The City of Fremantle has voted to end its 40-plus-year tradition of running a state government women's refuge, saying the government is no longer providing a fair amount of funding to cover rising costs.

Warrawee Women's Refuge, which takes in women and children escaping family violence and assists them with case managers, will remain open but the government will have to find another provider, most likely one not willing to subsidise the centre as heavily as the City has.

Credit: Kate Geraghty

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the centre cost about $570,000 per year to run and the city had always contributed about $50,000-$100,000 towards this, but costs were rising.

He said the contribution of the Department of Child Protection and Family Services, which owns the refuge, was not rising.