Cardiff council draft budget for 2016/17 unveiled

Budget meetings at Cardiff City Hall in spring 2015 were met with protests over cuts

Arts cuts, dearer school meals and changes to day services for older people are among the ideas unveiled by Cardiff council's Labour leaders as they seek to save £45m next year.

The draft budget for Wales' biggest authority outlines efficiency savings, higher charges and grant cuts.

Council tax is also set to rise by 4.5% to raise an extra £5m in 2016/17.

Cabinet member Graham Hinchey said all councils were facing "unprecedented financial pressures".

People are invited to share their views at public meetings and online.

Among the proposals are:

• Cuts in arts funding, including support for the Artes Mundi prize and Cardiff Singer of the World

• New ways of delivering day services for older people

• Increasing the price of school meals by 10p a day

• Developing an alternative model for children's play

• Closing the city's seven automated public toilets - analysis suggests they cost £16 per use.

"We are looking to change the way we deliver services by exploring innovative new ways of working, supporting communities' and partners' capacity to deliver services and manage assets," said Mr Hinchey.

The budget consultation closes on 12 January, with a final decision to be made by the full council next February.

The £580m budget for 2015/16 was passed last February amid public protests and divisions within the ruling group over cuts to jobs and services.

Members of Wales' largest local authority had backed a plan to increase council tax by 5% and cut up to 600 to tackle a budget shortfall of £41m.

Council leader Phil Bale later survived a vote of no confidence and a leadership challenge.