The chance to have an eleventh-hour review of "life-changing" cuts to services for Merton's most vulnerable was rejected by a cross-party scrutiny panel last night.

The Overview and Scrutiny Commission was tasked with considering recommendations from departmental scrutiny panels over the latest business plan produced by council officers to find budget savings of £32m.

But after more than three hours of quizzing council officers, no recommendations for further scrutiny of "dangerous" £5.4m cuts to adult social services were put forward to Merton's cabinet.

Earlier this month: 'Vital care' for vulnerable people could be provided by volunteers as council tries to find £32m savings

A panel chaired by Councillor Peter Southgate, of Merton Park Independents, voted by a majority of five to four against recommending to send back proposed cuts of £200,000 a year to day centres for further review.

There was no discussion of campaigners' concerns over the equality impact assessment and consultation around cuts to adult social care expressed earlier this month at an emotional scrutiny panel for Healthier Communities and Older People.

Councillors did agree on "an expression of serious concern" over the proposed £0.5m a year cut to the council's youth service, which is due to start in 2016.

The recommendation will be passed on to the council's cabinet which will consider asking council officers to adapt the business plan next month.

Councillor Oonagh Moulton, leader of Merton Conservatives, said cutting the service would create long-term costs for the council in the long-run.

Innovative proposals for raising the council's revenue from property and fuel taxes were put forward by Coun Southgate and supported by Conservative Councillor Hamish Badenoch.

But Labour Councillor Peter McCabe accused opposition councillors of making airless "gestures" without a thought-out alternative business plan to deliver to councillors.

The panel agreed to recommend keeping dog waste bins in parks, but not on highways, saving £12,000 a year.

Councillors also decided to recommend a review of the proposal to halve the council's planning enforcement team, saving £80,000 a year but hindering investigations.

The cabinet, chaired by council leader Councillor Stephen Alambritis, is due to discuss the recommendations at a meeting on Monday, February 16.