DETAILED plans to save £65m have been unveiled in what a council says is the “most challenging” circumstances in its history.

Calderdale Council is looking to save £15m in 2011/12, a further £22m in 2012/13 and £28m in 2013/14.

The adult and social care budget already faces a shortfall of £3m.

And the council is extending a consultation to give residents a further chance to comment.

It comes after more than 3,000 residents took part in a consultation last year to have their say on what services should and shouldn’t be cut.

The report says: “These budget proposals have been put together under the most challenging circumstances that Calderdale Council has faced since it was set up in 1974.

“The new coalition government has set out plans to reduce government borrowing including substantial reductions in public spending by up to 25% over the next three years.

“This means that the amount the council has to spend will reduce each year.”

Public consultation findings include:

l Protect frontline services especially for vulnerable people.

lCutting waste and securing better value for money

l Reducing management

Among the proposals is the deletion of posts within the chief executives office in a bid to ‘flatten’ the management structure.

The council says it proposes to protect services for vulnerable people, saying it will invest £2.5million of health funding into services.

The council is not increasing Council Tax for 2011/12 and has frozen staff pay but with the provision of a 1% increase in the two following years.

The report adds: “... it is not possible to make savings of the magnitude without seeing some job losses. Our priority has been to remove vacant posts and identify opportunities to secure changes by agreement. This is reflected in the budget plans we are setting out.

“Any compulsory redundancy is a tragedy for the person concerned. It also impacts on the wider economy and we will continue to work with out staff and trades unions to keep the members to a minimum.”

But before councillors meet to set the budget on February 28, they will first allow people another chance to comment on what services should and shouldn’t be cut.

Comments can be submitted until February 14.

A public meeting will take place at Rastrick High School this Thursday, at 6pm. Feedback forms can also be found in local libraries.

Alternatively, comments can be sent to budget@calderdale.gov.uk or post to Councillor Janet Battye, Leader, Calderdale Council, Town Hall, Halifax HX1 1UJ.