Merton Council’s decision to commission out adult education will be scrutinised at the insistence of the opposition.

Merton Conservatives have demanded further scrutiny of the council’s decision to commission out Merton Adult Education (MAE) as it strives to save £32m in the next four years.

Councillor James Holmes, Conservative education spokesman, said: "Labour has failed to prove what savings will be achieved by cutting this service.

"Residents are rightly concerned that a flawed consultation has been used to justify this flawed decision."

The Overview and Scrutiny panel meet on Tuesday, March 10, when the issue will be on the agenda after it was called in by Couns Holmes, Linda Taylor and Brian Lewis-Lavender on behalf of all Conservative councillors.