COUNTY councillors claim services will be hit as they face cuts of £54 million from their budget to stay within government spending limits.

County councillor Chris Cheetham, finance sub-committe chairman, said: "To meet the demands of more children in school and an ageing population, we need to spend £1,005 million next year. But the government's capping regime means we need to cut £54m off it.

"It puts a whole range of services, from fire through to highways repair and library books, at risk." Coun Cheetham also slammed minister Sir Paul Beresford for suggesting elderly people in residential homes be moved into the private sector to save £15 million. "This would mean moving all our residents from the place they regard as home and Sir Paul failed to point out that we would have to dismiss some 2,500 staff and that such large scale redundancies could not take place in time to make the savings he claims.

"I intend to minimise the impact of the government's policies whenever possible but as the increase in our spending limit is less than inflation, it is inevitable that services will suffer."

Coun Cheetham said he looked forward to having the support of all the county's MPs in fighting the government's settlement.

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