SOUTH Dorset MP Jim Knight wants Dorset County Council to scrap plans to close five county day centres.

The sites have been threatened with closure under a county council drive to try and make spending cuts to save £600,000 because of a budget shortfall.

Among the sites under threat is Fernhill Day Centre in Weymouth, while others which could face closure include ones at Beaminster, Gillingham and Swanage.

Crossways Day Centre near Dorchester, where services were suspended in May because of low numbers, could also close for good.

But Mr Knight claims that the idea of closing Fernhill should be reversed because of the Government's funding increase to the authority.

The settlement announced last week saw the county council receive an increase of 11.8 per cent, the third-largest increase in the country.

Over the next financial year the county will receive £44.4 million from central Government purses, nearly £5 million more than the £39.7 million awarded to the county this financial year.

This will rise to £47.6 million for 2009-2010 while the county will be allocated £50.9 million for 2010-2011.

The finance settlement accounts for about three-quarters of all money that Dorset County Council spends and Mr Knight now wants County Hall bosses to put the extra cash they are getting to good use by reprieving the day centres including Fernhill.

He said: "Dorset County Council has been awarded by central Government the third-largest funding increase in the country. As a result, the county council should use part of this increase to keep open day centres including Fernhill.

"Fernhill serves the local community well and it is clear to me there is a strong case for keeping it open.

"Many local people have contacted me on the issue and I have taken up the matter with the county council, stressing the need for the centre and others around Dorset to be kept open.

"I appreciate the county council has a financial pressure, but there is no excuse for making cuts to such a vital service while at the same time finding large sums of money for things like consultants."