The centre, which currently supports 880 children aged under five, is one of 31 threatened with closure under cost-cutting proposals to save more than £200million by 2021, which have been put out for public consultation until January 4.
County chiefs claimed the town did not have enough children who were living in households with the lowest income levels to justify keeping it open.
Proposals from Surrey’s Kingston HQ also suggest closing ‘less-used’ Farnham and Cranleigh community recycling centres, plus cuts to concessionary bus passes and reshaping library services.
The proposed closure of Tennyson’s Sure Start, which has served the community for nine years from its bse at St Bartholomew’s Primary School, sparked outrage.
It is one of seven children centres in the borough of Waverley funded by Surrey CC, which proposes shutting three of them and reducing services in a further two.
If the proposals are agreed, Waverley residents will be served by two Sure Start children’s centres – at Loseley Fields, in Godalming, and Hale, in Farnham instead.
Godalming and Farnham will also retain two other existing children’s centres at Wharf Nursery School and Potters Gate – but they will become ‘satellites’ offering fewer services.
Concerned town councillors agreed to make representations directly to the county council leader at their full council meeting last Thursday, following a heated discussion about the knock-on effect for the neediest local families.
Jim Edwards, the town council’s Tennyson’s representative, who is also a borough councillor, condemned the proposal as ‘horrendous’ and urged as many people as possible to respond to the consultation to object.
Mr Edwards said: “Tennyson’s work very hard and they do a fantastic job. They provide a service that is vital to the health and wellbeing of young families and do lots of other things as well.
“Everyone must support this vital service. These proposals are horrendous. I understand Surrey is short of money but it must retain services for the most vulnerable families in and around Haslemere.
“Their parenting puzzle course has proved to be fantastic in adressing the problems of English as a second language and what’s expected of parents.
“It provides service to mums and dads who have no idea how to bring kids up.”
Fellow member Nikki Barton agreed the centre did ‘amazing work’ and suggested the town council could raise the precept and take it over to ensure Tennyson’s didn’t shut.
Councillor Peter Isherwood said: “This is something we should support all down the line.
“We have got so many young families with problems.”
Haslemere Mayoress Melanie Odell proposed the council should look at the costs involved in keeping the centre at St Bart’s.
But she reminded the meeting that the last time Haslemere had offered funding and tried to work with the county council ‘nothing happened.’
Ms Odell warned: “We must be firm with Surrey and say don’t mess us about this time.”
In a letter to Mr Hodge, town clerk Lisa O’Sullivan said: ‘Haslemere Town Council was alarmed to hear the town’s Sure Start Centre is threatened with closure.
“You may be aware that in 2016-17 Haslemere Town Council budgeted an amount of money to fund a youth worker whose funding was being withdrawn by Surrey CC.
“Ultimately, Surrey CC was not able to deliver on its commitment to provide a replacement youth worker funded by my council, a source of great frustration in the community.
“My council has asked me to ascertain whether, before any discussions about saving our Sure Start Centre take place, Surrey CC is willing to consider alternative proposals and is in a position to deliver on any commitments it makes.”
*Have your say on cost-cutting changes to children’s centres, concessionary bus travel, libraries, recycling centres. and Special Educational Needs Services at www.surreycc.gov.uk/consultations
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