Woking Borough Council service cuts approved amid protests

Campaigners were at Woking Borough Council ahead of the meeting to discuss cuts to services

Cuts to services at Woking Borough Council have been confirmed amid protests.

Volunteers from Citizens Advice Woking gathered outside a meeting of full council on Thursday to oppose the cuts.

The authority declared itself effectively bankrupt in June when it could not set a balanced budget.

Proposals for £8m of savings include closing public toilets, no longer funding day care projects and increasing prices at Pool in the Park.

A dial-a-ride bus service, Woking Community Transport, will run a reduced service.

Government money will be reallocated and given to community groups to help them take over sports pavilions, while The Lightbox and Citizens Advice will also be given funding.

Residents in Woking will also be asked to voluntarily contribute to a community fund.

During Thursday's meeting, councillors spoke of their disappointment that Woking had found itself in this situation.

Financial sustainability

Council leader, Ann-Marie Barker, said it was a "relief" to get the budget through.

She told BBC Radio Surrey: "We have taken the first step on taking ourselves back as a council to financial sustainability.

"It's not a budget we wanted to put forward but we have done all that we can in that budget to mitigate, to reduce the impact, to keep running services or to offer services in different ways."

She said the authority's financial situation, including £1.9bn of borrowing, could not be fixed "overnight" and said things would be difficult "for some time".

All public toilets will close, except in Victoria Place and Wolsey Walk in the town centre, under the cost-saving plans .

The full budget for 2024-25, including a potential 10% rise in council tax, is due to be signed off at a meeting on 4 March.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].