The mother of a service user of a day centre for adults with learning disabilities says people are 'devastated' at plans to close it.

Morley Tamblyn Lodge (MTL), Liskeard, is set to close in March 2010 under plans by Cornwall Council, despite having spent thousands of pounds refurbishing the centre in the last 12 months and admitting it hasn't secured a permanent building for service users to use.

The move, which is likely to save up to £450,000, to be reinvested in a new service, has angered many people in the area.

In the last year the centre's makeover, which has been done so community groups can use the space in the future, has included a new reception area, new double glazing and a central heating upgrade.

A retired, former employee of MTL said: 'The centre is currently being refurbished at a cost of many thousands of council tax payers pounds, and in the past has benefited from funds raised by the community and charities.

'In these difficult times job losses should be avoided, the staff are dedicated and fully committed and their skills are essential to the community.'

Cornwall Council has claimed it is not looking at any redundancies and a spokeswoman said: 'The reception area at Morley had not been updated since the centre opened 29 years ago.

'Part of the modernisation included the creation of a meeting room, so that reviews can be held uninterrupted. The money for this came out of a budget for minor capital works and not out of the centre budget.  

'The refurbishment will mean the building could be used by other groups or organisations in the future.'

The closure of the centre, which has been open for 30 years, will mean its current 58 service users will have to go elsewhere.

Cornwall Council has confirmed that no new centres are to be built even though service users received a poster that read 'We will not shut centres until new ones are built'.

The council is trying to find existing spaces within the community for service users.

Scott Hall, commissioning partnerships officer for Cornwall Council said: 'What we don't have in place is those detailed plans. We haven't got anywhere yet but there is a sense that we need these bases around smaller towns.

'Liskeard and Saltash are key areas and we have to look at who is in Callington and Looe.

'What we don't try to do is create a one-size- fits-all. We do not want to isolate people and there has to be a pragmatic approach.'

There is a budget of £700,000 to use county- wide on leasing and refurbishing spaces.

In 2007, a bungalow was refurbished in Liskeard for service users, and an outreach temporary service, that 12 people use, is operating in Saltash two days a week.

An employee from Cornwall Social Services, who did not want to be named, told the Cornish Times: 'At the present time those service users living in the Saltash area are now based in a single room in the Wesley church complex.

'On a Thursday, all service users have to go bowling regardless.

'It appears that one size fits all and choice is of no consequence.'

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said: 'The use of the hall is only a temporary measure and a way of helping people who live in the area to discover the sorts of opportunities that exist in Saltash.

'There are a number of activities being developed in Saltash, including horse riding and swimming.'

With plans to give service users individual budgets, there are fears carers and service users will be left with little support and resources in the area.

Day centres in Redruth and St Austell are likely to close by 2011 and there are plans to develop The John Daniels Centre in Penzance as a 'fully integrated community resource and centre'.

The mother of a service user at Morley Tamblyn Lodge said: 'The people using the centre are absolutely devastated. We are sitting in meetings but you know darned well that things have already been decided.'

The council has consulted carers and those who attend the centre over the past two years but there was anger when service users received a poster from a social worker informing them the centre would close in 2010. The poster had a picture of Morley Tamblyn Lodge with a red cross through it. The mother of a service user at the centre said: 'It upset us, never mind the students. It caused uproar and it is an absolute disgrace.'

Service users of the centre, named after a former county councillor, received an apology shortly afterwards.

An employee from Cornwall Social Services said: 'In the early years, the centre ran many activities, including a fully-equipped woodwork shop, a thriving pottery club, a camera club and a very successful drama group.

'Every service user had a say as to what they wanted to do. Over the past years, these activities have ceased, not I believe through lack of interest.'

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said: 'There are approximately 23 different types of activities that take place over the course of a typical week with just over half of these activities taking place within the community, with the other activities taking place within Morley Tamblyn Lodge.

'The centre does not run some activities it used to because the types of activities have needed to change over the years in keeping with people's individual needs and wishes.'