Labour county councillors are to mount a fresh challenge against the £9m social services cuts in Oxfordshire.

They are calling on the county council executive to make use of Government money announced in the Budget to offset the cuts.

But the executive says it is too early to say how much money the county will get and what effect it might have.

The cuts include the closure of three respite centres for disabled people and their families -- Summerfield Resource Centre in Abingdon, Sycamore House in Banbury and Chilterns Centre in Henley. Labour county councillors say the cuts could be averted or reduced, by the promise of more Government money. The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, revealed plans to spend up to £400m on social services, which Labour councillors say would bring more than £4m to Oxfordshire from next April.

Labour councillors yesterday 'called in' the decision to cut social services. It will now be examined by a council scrutiny committee, before going before the executive again next month.

Labour leader Cllr Brian Hodgson said that although the extra money would not be available until next year, the council could avoid cuts by taking account of this money now and delaying plans to spend £500,000 on refurbishing the members' room at County Hall.

He said: "It is important that we don't close something down that we can't re-open. We are calling the decision in, and inviting the executive to reconsider their position." County council leader Keith Mitchell said the additional Government funding might amount to only £2.5m and could have strings attached.

He said: "In 2003, we may find our social services funding has gone up, depending on whether we get our fair share and whether it is free of conditions.

"There is no certainty we will get £4m or that it will be free to spend on areas of real priority.

"We need to see some real promises about what it means to Oxfordshire first."

The cuts will be considered by the county's social and health care scrutiny committee.