Fears have been raised about how vulnerable residents will cope when Richmond Council cuts about 9 per cent from its budget.

The authority revealed nearly £9m will be slashed in the next financial year, with £12.4m slashed over the next three years.

Justin Wright, chief officer of Richmond Mencap, which supports people with learning disabilities, warned cuts to transportation of pupils with special educational needs and social care services would have an impact on vulnerable people.

He said: “Any reduction in services and funding to organisations supporting and enabling people with learning disabilities to have an improved quality of life will naturally have a knock on effect in the quality and level of support they receive.

“Young people and adults were already affected by gaps in services, particularly those with more complex or multiple learning and physical disabilities.”

He said Richmond Mencap would be monitoring developments and called for cuts to be “well thought out and sensitively managed” and communicated properly to those affected.

Mr Wright said there was concern about plans to cut £150,000 from a £2.9m budget to transport children with special educational needs (SEN) to schools.

Councillor Christine Percival, Richmond Council cabinet member for education, youth and children’s services, said the proposed changes would make the service more efficient, with children being collected from pick-up points.

She said a full consultation would take place but a similar system was working well in Sutton.

Mr Wright said families already under strain coping with a child with learning difficulties would face further problems having to get that youngster to a meeting point.

“These cuts will have a real effect,” added Mr Wright. “Some families are at breaking point already.”

He said the voluntary sector would struggle to cope if more was expected from it.

Councillor Malcolm Eady, Richmond Liberal Democrats’ education and children’s services spokesman, said cuts to SEN transport would put “unnecessary” extra pressure on parents who needed help not to have their lives made more difficult He said those in most need would be hurt the most to keep council tax rates low.

Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, Richmond Council deputy leader, said the SEN transport budget was unsustainable and he would prefer to see money spent on supporting the pupils in schools rather than getting them there.

He added: “The fact the council is not providing a service does not mean the service will be lost.

“Many are already provided by the voluntary sector or charities and some will be delighted to increase their role.”

Coun Samuel revealed last week budgets in all departments would be cut and proposals included the closure of Heathfield library and day centres in Hampton and Twickenham, although nothing was set in stone.

The council is in negotiations to try to make its residential care services more efficient and is working on the basis the role of the state has to shrink.

Coun Samuel added he has had contact from charities interested in running Heathfield library and one of the day centres and was confident the borough’s voluntary sector would met the challenges.

“I invisage funding for the voluntary sector will be greater in four years than it is now, not less,” he added. “It needs a change in culture but my belief is a significant proportion of services the council currently provides will be provided in a different form.”