Disabled peole who claim Merton Council is "playing football with our lives" have challenged councillors to a match ahead of the budget meeting tonight. 

Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm outside Merton Civic Centre, one hour after a protest organised by the GMB Union and Merton Centre for Indepenent Living begins. 

Protestors will urge councillors to halt plans to slash budgets for adult social care, parks maintenance, waste collection and adult education.

It comes as the council struggles to find £32m of savings over the next four years.

Wheelchair user John Kelly, of Wimbledon said: "The government close the ILF and kick us to you. You say we have no choice, and cut our services, kicking us straight back. Both have a choice."

A full council will meet tonight to debate a business plan drawn up by council officers showing where just over half of that money can be found.

Joe Adigwe, GMB Merton branch secretary said: "The cuts have been dictated by Westminster, but it is this council administration that is deciding where to wield the knife.

"The GMB and our trade union colleagues in Unison and Unite demand that Merton councillors speak out against this government’s ideological dismantling of public services.

"It is high time that our council representatives started speaking up for ordinary, hardworking families in saying 'enough is enough'.

"They have forgotten that they have been elected to champion the interests of the people of this borough, not to be handwringing apologists doing Parliament’s dirty work."

Members of Merton CIL, who will also be protesting tonight, have appealed to the public to join the demonstration and support disabled people who face life-changing cuts to care packages.

'Which side are you on?' - Lord Nelson-inspired song challenges Merton councillors to rethink deep cuts to disabled and elderly care

The demonstration will take place outside Merton's Civic Centre in Morden from 5pm to 7pm.

We will bring you the results of the budget meeting on this site tomorrow.