The axe was set to fall today on vital support for the disabled and elderly as Oxfordshire social services chiefs delivered further stinging cuts.

Nearly 11m has to be cut from the department's budget over the next three years and senior managers have already been told their jobs are at risk.

Bosses must meet Government spending targets and were today unveiling a further 2.6m of savings which include:

*150,000 from OAP day centres by combining projects in the eight centres to reduce overall costs; *150,000 from residential care for disabled people. The department will look at "more cost effective" ways of supporting 100 long-term clients;

*100,000 by introducing parent contributions when a child is taken into care. Parents are currently not asked to contribute towards costs when their child is taken into care and social services will look at charging those who can afford it.

*330,000 by charging the full cost of community care to people with savings of more than 12,000 instead of the Government's 16,000 threshold.

This means more disabled and elderly folk must pay towards their care. The cuts are the biggest announced yet by the county council department.

Earlier, it announced cuts of 750,000 from home care services. Domestic tasks such as shopping and cleaning will no longer be carried out by carers.

A further 400,000 is to be saved by reducing administration and training and not replacing vehicles.

Senior staff admit the savings hit the county's most vulnerable people, but say they have little choice. A report by social services director Mary Robertson warns that front-line staff will have to deal daily with people who are "deeply distressed by the reductions in services."

She said: "We regret having to cut so hard but the financial pressures are severe."

Mrs Robertson is urging councillors to adopt all the cuts and to seek an extra 1m in funding for her department from council balances. She said the service still faced a series of problems as new legislation on care standards, the impact of the North Wales child abuse inquiry and the Government's plans to modernise local government could lead to further pressures on her budget.

She says: "This committee is facing a very uncertain financial future with significant potential future pressures and less obvious means of future relief."