North Somerset Council cuts will have 'serious' impact

Further cuts in council spending in North Somerset will have a "serious effect on local services," the authority's leader has said.

Conservative Nigel Ashton said the council would need to find another £39m of savings up to 2018 on top of savings of £47m from 2011 to 2015.

The authority has blamed further cuts in government money for the additional funding gap.

"This additional £39m in savings will test us even further," Mr Ashton said.

'Frightening situation'

"Officers and councillors have worked extremely hard over the last two years to streamline services and introduce more efficient ways of working in order to make savings," he added.

"This has been a huge undertaking and many difficult decisions have had to be made.

"This additional £39m in savings will test us even further but we have given ourselves time to plan ahead so the right decisions can be made."

Liberal Democrat Mike Bell said it was a "frightening situation" but said it was not helped by the Conservatives spending money on building work.

"The Conservatives also spent £20m buying offices in Clevedon. Decisions like this are the wrong thing at the wrong time," he added.

Further spending cuts will be considered by the council at a meeting in October.