Views sought on Hartlepool Council budget cuts

Hartlepool residents are being given the opportunity to have their say on where council spending cuts could fall.

Hartlepool Council said that, along with others, it faced stark choices over which services it funds.

Before the change of government it said it expected to have to make savings of £4m per year for the next three years, but that it would now be much higher.

People are being invited to give their views on where they think the Labour-run council's priorities should lie.

Councillor Robbie Payne, cabinet member for finance and procurement, said: "Once we have all of the responses from the consultation exercise, and the full financial picture, councillors will be in a position to make these very difficult decisions."