Young children dressed as pirates and princesses as a grandmother who had been running a pre-school in an isolated part of the borough for more than 25 years held her last session last week.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillors voted to merge services offered at the Wells Centre in Spa Drive with those at the Longmead Centre in Sefton Road in December.

From November: Young and old people's services facing the axe by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

Residents’ Association councillors claimed Conservative austerity and a subsequent need to make savings guided their hand in consolidating services.

From December: "You should be ashamed": Epsom and Ewell Borough Council vote to move Wells Centre services despite 750 petition signatures

More than 750 people had signed a petition to keep the Wells Centre open.

Your Local Guardian:
L-R: Wells Centre pre-school co-managers Jackie Hancock and Carol Newman

Jackie Hancock, 57, from the Crescent, was “devastated” when she learnt of community and social services – including an over-55s lunch club and her play group – would be held at the rebranded ‘Epsom Centre’.

Ms Hancock had run the pre-school for 27 years and her daughter and granddaughter had attended sessions there. The school held a ‘Pirates and Princesses’ fancy dress event on their last day.

“We have lost our jobs. We have lost everything we have built up for the last 27 years,” she said.

“We have had parents who have moved to the Wells purely for the pre-school.

“It has ripped the heart out of the community by shutting it down.

“It’s such a shame. It’s a really lovely family pre-school.

“I'm devastated.”

From March: "A damn shame": 98-year-old's verdict on Wells Centre closure and the end of her art classes

The council had offered regular users the option of staying there until July 2016, before extending this deadline by a year two weeks ago.

“It was too late. Staff have made arrangements for other jobs and children have found elsewhere to go,” Ms Hancock said.

Your Local Guardian:

Charlotte Hutchinson, 41, from The Greenway, has had to find alternative arrangements for her two-year-old son Ben since learning of the Wells’ closure.

Her eldest son, Max, had attended the pre-school at the Wells for two years.

“It is really very sad,” Ms Hutchinson said.

“It has affected people very badly.

“There are people there who have kids there who went there as children themselves.

“It has been a wonderful service for many users but they have closed it.”

From December: "The future is in their hands": Dispute erupts over fate of Wells Centre before services moved

A council spokeswoman said the merger of social care provision into one centre was the “most efficient use of council funds” in the face of a funding short fall of about £2.5million by 2019/20.

She added: “Based on recent discussions with the working party overseeing the closure process, it has been decided to allow ongoing regular hirers of the building to continue until July 2017.

“All current users of the building are currently being notified of this change.

Your Local Guardian:

“Epsom & Ewell Borough Council chooses to, but is not legally obliged to, provide social centres. We are, however, committed to supporting the community and to improving quality of life for all residents of all ages.

“Use of the Wells Social Centre by the community has for several years been far below what is required to make the facility financially viable in the light of government cuts.”

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