A group of disabled volunteers has complained to Surrey County Council after plans to allow them to play a key role in supporting disabled people in Epsom were axed.

Epsom Gateway was set up by Surrey's User Led Organisation (ULO), which is made up of five major Surrey disability and adult service charities, in 2010 believing their main role would be to manage the Epsom Hub.

Established less than a year ago and run by disabled volunteers, the hub offers support and advice to disabled people and their carer’s in the borough.

But following its grand opening the Epsom Gateway was told there had been a ‘misunderstanding’ and that members of the Epsom Gateway, which is made up entirely of disabled volunteers, were no longer needed.

Geoff Jelly, vice chair of the Epsom Gateway said: “This whole episode has been hugely demoralising for this small and dedicated group, all of whom are disabled people living in the borough.

“The ULO Project Board is currently made up of possibly the largest disability organisations in Surrey and it feels like this small local group has been 'stonewalled' and ground down by this experience.

“We have enthusiastically grasped Cameron's 'big society' idea, only to have it snatched away by the very people he has entrusted with it.”

A letter, sent to Margaret Beams, Chair of the Epsom Gateway, on behalf of the ULO said: “There is a general unwillingness from Epsom Gateway to engage positively to resolve the various issues raised and as a result the decision was taken at the board meeting on Monday, March 14, that the Epsom Gateway can no longer be included in the development of the Hubs or in the proposed community interest company."

Carol Pearson, chair of the ULO project board and chief executive of the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, added: “The Hub is our priority for involving disabled people in the community.

“It’s important that this is resolved but I think we have made our position clear.

“It’s really important for disabled people that we move forward together.”

Epsom Hub denies that it has failed to engage positively and has made an official complaint to David Mc Nulty, chief executive of Surrey County Council.