DETAILS of the plan to cut Kirklees Council’s budget were revealed today.

Councillors need to find more than £80m worth of savings by 2014 to cope with the public spending squeeze from Government.

Kirklees officers hope an efficiency programme – which will see 1,700 job losses – will save about £30m.

But the remaining figure, in excess of £50m, must come from service cuts.

The council today publishes its plan to trim the budget by department:

Children and Young People (including learning and child protection): £8m

Wellbeing and Communities (including adult social care and libraries): £20m

Place (including planning and regeneration): £16m

Resources (including legal services and human resources): £13m

Kirklees chief executive Adrian Lythgo said: “We are publishing an overview of options which are up for discussion. As they are not firm plans, the figures are very much subject to change.

“Cutbacks are unavoidable – and, in some cases, they are being forced on us very quickly – so councillors will face some tough choices over the next few weeks.”

Councillors will decide on spending for 2011/12 at the annual budget meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall at 5pm on February 23.

Kirklees has also set up a website allowing residents to suggest how spending can be cut.

Mr Lythgo said: “It’s important for local people to give us their views as soon as possible.

“We launched the Your Voice website last year because councillors and managers welcome the opinions of the local community.

“Identifying savings has been a difficult, sensitive and complex business.

“The picture becomes even more complicated when you consider there are also inflationary pressures, growing demands on services including social care and the continuing effects of the recession.

“Difficult decisions lie ahead for Kirklees councillors, but that is the reality all across the country.”

For more information email consultation@kirklees.gov.uk or visit www.yourvoice.kirklees.gov.uk

YOUR suggestions for cutting the Kirklees budget taken from the council’s Your Voice website (right):

"If there were fewer managers spending time talking to each other at meetings, there would be more money to pay for staff to spend time helping residents."

"Other authorities, including Wakefield and Leeds charge £40 for a delivered wheelie bin. This ensures residents look after their bins and do not call for a new one each month."

"Reduce heating levels and wear jumpers. And save the planet. To go to work in winter and to be able to wear just shirt and tie (plus trousers of course) means the heating is on too high."

"Currently there are 69 councillors for 23 wards in Kirklees, making three councillors per ward. In my opinion these should be reduced to two per ward, and the number of wards reduced to a maximum of 15. This would save on expenses."

"Could the council either reduce the number of libraries, parks, museums and sports centres that it owns, possibly by handing over control of these to volunteers, or by reducing opening hours?"

"Turn streetlights off at night. At least some of them in quiet/low-crime areas that don’t get much traffic or pedestrians – including the annoying bright one outside my window that only lights an unadopted back lane!"