NEWTON Abbot town councillors have condemned Devon County Council's cuts which they say will hurt the most vulnerable members of society.

They are to write to the county council and local MPs calling for proposed cuts in the grants of voluntary organisations such as the CAB, Home-Start, support for those suffering domestic violence and homelessness, to be reinstated.

Proposals to charge householders for taking domestic garden waste, rubble and asbestos to recycling centres were described as 'disgraceful'.

The threatened closure of Dawlish and Buckfastleigh recycling centres was also criticised and would, it was forecast, lead to even more cars trying to access Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, recycling centre at weekends.

'Are we trying to cause an increase in fly-tipping? I hope as individuals and as a council we could condemn both of these proposals and that they will be stopped in their tracks,' said Cllr David Corney-Walker at Wednesday's full council meeting.

But it was the impact on organisations which help those who often have least that most worried councillors.

County Cllr Gordon Hook, who chairs the environment, economy and culture scrutiny committee, reeled off a list of services which would suffer.

'It will impact significantly adversely on the quality of life of a lot of people,' he said.

At an all-day budget scrutiny meeting at county hall on Monday, councillors argued that the domestic violence budget should be halved, not cut completely.

But other voluntary organisations may see their funding disappear completely, if the draft budget is ratified next month, including the CAB and Home Start.

Cllr Mike Hocking, the town council's representative on the local CAB committee, said he would like to see the town council write to Devon County opposing the cuts.

Cllr Daphne Watts said those who relied on organisations which support those suffering domestic violence, would be hugely affected.

Cllr Keith Smith said that at a voluntary organisation he is involved with, he had seen staff, volunteers and families in tears at the prospect of losing their funding, over which there had been little consultation.

Cllr Louise Cooke accused the county of taking a short-term view, saying that the damage caused to those who could not get help when they needed it would take years to put right.

Members voted unanimously to write to the county council and local MPs voicing their concerns.