The county council has backed a judge ruling that a decision to cut funding for a respite centre for disabled children was unlawful.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council believes Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group should have consulted the local authority its decision to stop the £650,000 of funding for Nascot Lawn, in Langley Road, Watford, in November.

The CCG has been ordered to launch a six week consultation with the county council after a judicial review outcome deemed the centre to be “a health service” as parents rely on it for more than just respite care.

The centre needs to stay open until at least August but if the two bodies cannot agree on its future, the matter can be referred to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The county council spokesperson said: “We note and agree with the judgement handed down today that the services provided at Nascot Lawn are health provision and that there is an obligation on HVCCG to consult with the county council on any decision made about its future under The Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Board and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013.

“In light of the decision of the Judge to quash the decision made by Herts Valleys CCG to cease funding for Nascot Lawn we hope that we can now proceed to work in partnership to develop an integrated offer which will ensure that these children and their families receive the respite provision that they need.”

Dr Nicolas Small, local GP and Chair of Herts Valleys CCG said: “This decision that we made back in November, to stop funding services at Nascot Lawn, was one of the hardest we have had to make as a board. And we did this in the context of a very challenging financial environment, having to assess priorities in order to meet the financial requirements placed on us by law. That financial challenge continues.

“What we now need to do, in acknowledgment of the judge’s ruling, is to take time over the next six weeks to formally consult with our colleagues at the council in the format that the court has prescribed. We have started that process. Our consultation will remain thorough and genuine and results will be considered at a Herts Valleys CCG meeting in May.

“Whatever the outcome of this consultation and new decision, we continue to be concerned for the children and families who use Nascot Lawn respite services. Having made the decision last November, we had hoped this judicial review would bring the matter to a conclusion. We are committed to ensuring we comply with the judge’s ruling in full and we are keen to resolve this as soon as possible, so that a greater level of certainty can be provided particularly to the children and their families. In any event this judicial decision means that the service will be funded on the current basis until at least August 2018.”