Supporters of a youth club are fighting council plans to drastically cut the number of sessions because children are too well behaved.

Surrey County Council has proposed reducing the youth work in Banstead from 12 hours a week at present to just three hours a week.

In the face of budget reductions, the council wants to redistribute resources to focus on more deprived areas with high youth crime and unemployment.

A public consultation on its plans comes after the council put on hold a controversial decision to force youth club leader Pat Lewis out of Banstead Youth Club.

Mum Caroline Bray, who is a member of the youth club’s steering committee, encouraged concerned families to come to a public meeting on Thursday, July 30.

Ms Bray said: "Everybody understands there are cuts, but to reduce it to three hours is beyond a joke really."

The consultation document says Banstead only has "some level of young people who need support around employability" compared to more serious problems elsewhere.

Ms Bray said the proposal was based on the fact that Banstead does well in keeping down the number of young people Not in Education, Employment, or Training, also known as NEETs.

She said: "The reason we do so well is all the prevention work in the youth club. We would say Banstead is a success so you shouldn’t take work away. It’s working."

A Surrey County Council spokesman said: "There will be no youth centres in Surrey closing and we are actually proposing a five per cent increase in resources for areas where need is greatest.

"We are, however, undertaking a countywide public consultation on changes to services for young people as a result of huge budget reductions but any changes made will be done with the best interests of all Surrey young people in mind."

He confirmed that relocation of Ms Lewis, who was made an MBE for her services to young people in 2010, was still on hold.

To take part in the consultation visit www.surreysays.co.uk

Public meeting- Banstead Youth Centre, the Horseshoe, off Bolters Lane, Banstead; Thursday, July 30; 7pm to 9pm