Poole residents asked what services must be prioritised

An online consultation exercise calling on Poole residents to suggest ways the council can save between £10m and £12.5m in its 2011/12 budget has begun.

The Borough of Poole said it had already identified it needs to find £28.7m over the next three years.

But the council believes the government will make a further 10% cuts - between £10m and £12.5m - in the autumn.

People can see what is currently being spent on a service and indicate which ones should be prioritised, it said.

'Tough decisions'

The local authority's online Budget Options Simulator allows the resident to reduce or increase spending on each service and then see what impact it would have on the borough's council tax and overall budget.

Council leader Brian Leverett said: "Over the months ahead, we will face some very tough decisions about the range of services the council can afford to provide in future.

"We want residents to give us their views on what they think our priorities should be when it comes to making difficult choices about our services and functions.

"I would like to think that as many people as possible will take part as these priorities will help us decide where the savings should be made."

The consultation process closes on 11 October.