A newly-built, decorated and fully-staffed £2m children’s centre set to open this month will not be offering services for parents for at least six months.

Surrey County Council’s Applewood Children’s Centre, in Tadworth, was due to open its doors to offer respite for families with disabled children, but parents have received a letter saying the centre has no set date to start functioning.

Resident Kathy Thompson, who had 18 overnights booked for her daughter in the centre, has now been left with nowhere to take her.

She said: “About 18 months ago they closed down the centre I used to go to and said they would open a new one in Tadworth. They built it, staffed it, spent lots of money on it and now sent us a letter saying they will re-distribute their staff and won’t be able to offer the services they promised.”

Minutes from a Children and Families meeting held in March showed the council was hoping to save £1.1m by reducing services offered at another centre, Ruth House and delaying the opening of Applewood Centre.

A council spokesman said: “Over the next six months we are reviewing our residential provision offering short break services to support families of disabled children to ensure it is meeting needs appropriately and being used to maximum capacity. Parents and children will be consulted as part of the review.

"We have therefore decided to defer the opening of Applewood as a residential service although it is intended to use the building for other activities during the review. Where necessary staff will be redeployed to provide support to disabled children in other settings.

"We are discussing alternative provision with those families who were waiting for the Applewood service and all families can be sure that their child’s assessed needs will be met. Support includes day or overnight care in other local services or care provided in the family home. For some families there are existing packages in place and these will continue.”