Cuts prompt Nottingham City Council 'tipping point' claim

The council said it has to save a further £55m by 2017

Nottingham City Council is at "tipping point", councillors have warned, after approving a further £25m in cuts.

The Labour-led authority said it was running out of options to meet efficiency savings and will struggle to protect services in the future.

However, protestors have called for the council to use its reserves to help protect jobs and services.

The city council has also voted to increase council tax by 1.95% and close 76 posts.

'Use reserves'

It followed a proposed amendment from the Conservative opposition to freeze council tax by making use of government grants.

The group said this would have helped reduce people's household bills.

Other cuts include making savings of £1.3m from adult social care and reducing the spend on children's services by more than £300,000.

The latest budget cuts are on top of £99m of savings made over the last three years.

Deputy leader Graham Chapman said: "We have managed so far to keep the ship afloat, but if it continues it is going to be serious for Nottingham."

He said the authority had "squeezed" all it can to protect front-line services and vulnerable citizens, but was now at "tipping point".

But Becci Heagney, of protest group Defend Council Tax Benefits, said: "We are calling on the city council to use their reserves, they have over £120m of reserves, which they could use to fund jobs and services for the next few years."