Derbyshire County Council to meet over £70m budget cuts

Derbyshire County Council's cabinet will today meet to discuss budget cuts of up to £70m over the next three years.

The council says it needs to cut £157m from its budget by 2018 following a loss in Government grants.

If the proposals go ahead it says there could be a loss of around 2,000 jobs over the next three years in addition to the 1,600 jobs cuts announced last year.

The council does say every effort will be made to avoid compulsory redundancies by not replacing staff who leave and offering voluntary redundancy.

Services that could be reduced over the next three years include cuts to Direct Care (the council's social care workers scheme), the closure of up to 23 children's centres, removal of school crossing patrols in 2015, the gritting of fewer roads and reduced staffing for libraries.