TWO day centres providing care for people with learning disabilities in Worcester and Pershore could be shut under a county council review of the service.

Worcestershire County Council says the Perryfields Day Centre and Cherry Orchard Day Centre, both in Worcester, and Station Road Day Centre, Pershore are under-used and wants to look at "reconfiguring" them to "maximise their efficiency".

Jennie Bashforth, director of adult and community services, said: "There is significant under-occupancy within the three main day centres. Indeed there has been some initial discussion with users and carers of those using Worcester day services and there has been indicative support for considering the potential to amalgamate the two main day centres in Worcester on to one site."

The county council's cabinet approved plans to consult on three options for the future of the centres: * Increase the number of service users at Station Road Day Centre and close a Worcester day centre.

* Close Station Road Day Centre and also a Worcester day centre.

* Do nothing.

The consultation will run for three months and all interested parties will be invited to give their views.

The review of the service follows a decision by the council last year to look specifically at the future of the Pershore centre. However, after a number of informal consultations it was found the future of the Pershore centre was inextricably linked to the future of day services in Worcester.

Mrs Bashforth said: "We are becoming concerned at the level of occupancy and, secondly, during our discussions with the families of those individuals attending Pershore Day Centre, it became apparent should Pershore Day Centre be closed there would be an urgent need to agree capital investment to improve the personal care facilities, particularly at Perryfields."

The Pershore centre has just four users, two of which live in Worcester, and one who lives in Malvern, and only 57 per cent of the available sessions are used. At Cherry Orchard only 46 per cent of sessions are attended, and at Perryfields the service is only used 27 per cent of the available time.