DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL leader John Hart is launching a new round of public consultations on the tough spending choices the authority is facing.
Councillors are likely to have to save £40 million from their spending next year following the £54.6 million reductions they made this year. More than £10 million will be found by cutting management, administrative costs and back office expenditure.
But around £30 million will still need to be found from local services, a reduction of seven per cent. Last year the Tough Choices spending consultation attracted thousands of responses, making it the biggest such exercise staged by the authority. Nearly 1,000 people attended the 15 public meetings in market towns across the county. In total, over 35,000 people took part with many completing an online survey or sharing their bright ideas for improving the way the council operates or how it could save money via the Tough Choices website.This year there will be 17 Tough Choices public meetings throughout Devon, kicking off at Sidmouth on October 5.
