At a public meeting, members of the community were invited to have their say on which areas should be considered by working groups before the final budget is laid out later this year.

Several carers and campaigners spoke out about plans to cut £1.6 million from the budget and gradually close day care centres, which currently provide services for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems.

Chris Kinsey, a carer and spokesman for the Save Our Services action group, said closing the centres would not help people with disabilities integrate socially. She added: "Day care centres are not places where these people go just to stick bits of pasta on to paper.

"To close them would mean adults with learning disabilities will become isolated and withdrawn, and any changes to their routine could raise their anxiety levels.

"Northamptonshire County Council needs to save money and so typically they are proposing to take it from the most vulnerable people in society."

Roz Shaw, whose sister is registered blind and has cerebral palsy, said staff at the Nene Day Centre in Bedford Road provide vital support for her family.

"If this service is taken away, my sister will lose her social life and my mother and I will lose a network of support."

The county council proposals, which would save more than £1.6million over three years, would mean people with learning disabilities given their own 'personal budgets' to buy services instead of using day centres.

Councillors hope the move would allow people to become more independent, but members of the scrutiny meeting held at County Hall yesterday agreed it should be subject to a closer examination of the budget.

Chairman of the meeting, Councillor James Ashton (Lab, Hemmingwell), said: "After hearing from members of the public, clearly there is going to be no question that we will have a working group to look at the issue of care for people with learning disabilities."

Save Our Services will launch an action campaign to halt the plans, and meetings will take place later this month for carers, clients of day care centres and families to have their say.

For more information, call 01933 460676.