BOSSES at South Lakeland District Council are being forced to find half a million pounds of service cuts to help balance the budget this year, reports Michaela Robinson-Tate.

Against a backdrop of a tight national financial settlement, and pressure on the authority to do more, SLDC is hoping to save £507,900 on the 2005/06 revenue budget, which could result in the loss of around 12 posts.

However, bosses have stressed that some of those posts are current vacancies, and of the others, compulsory redundancies are extremely unlikely. They are also planning expansion in some areas, and around four new posts.

The proposed service reductions, which would have to be approved by members of the council next Tuesday (March 1), include ending the counter cashier services at South Lakeland House in Kendal, Ulverston Town Hall and Langstone House in Windermere.

The council is hoping that, instead, alternative locations in the towns where council tax and other payments could be made would be provided, perhaps through an agency agreement with an outlet such as a shop, bank or post office.

Around seven or eight staff would be affected, and newly-appointed chief executive Mike Jones said this week it was hoped they could be redeployed within SLDC.

Other savings being proposed include delaying the next phase of the council's successful waste recycling scheme until February 2006. Mr Jones said this would give the council "breathing space".

Toilets at Brogden Street in Ulverston and those for disabled people at Windermere Station could be shut; and the septic tank and domestic pest control treatments services could be discontinued, as both were available in the private sector.

However, Mr Jones said that the council, which is proposing a council tax increase of 4.5 per cent, was also hoping to make new expenditure of £624,000.

There would be additional training for staff and members, and new posts in member support and in procurement, to help the authority achieve value for money.

Governments expected councils to do "more and more" with the same or fewer resources, he said, and added that SLDC had received one of the lowest grant settlements in Cumbria.

Council leader Colin Hodgson said that an agency arrangement for counter services might actually result in an improved service, if the public found the new locations more convenient. He said the council must be "sympathetic" with staff, who could face redeployment.

Coun Hodgson said that the council faced increased costs, and the pressure was expected to continue in future years.

SLDC would also need to use £153,200 from reserves to balance the budget.

Coun Hodgson said: "We have used some of our balances, that will help us this year, but we have got to look to future years as well."

Each proposed reduction would be closely examined, he said.

"But, at the end of the day, the savings will have to be made and the money will have to come from somewhere. We are only asking the public for 4.5 per cent (council tax increase)."