PROTESTERS will make their presence felt when Kirklees councillors set the budget tomorrow.

Campaigners say pledges that front line services would not be cut have been thrown out of the window, leaving the most vulnerable to bear the brunt.

Councillors are likely to agree to cut tens of millions of pounds to cope with the public spending squeeze.

But they will do so against a backdrop of protests, as Kirklees Save Our Services will protest against the cuts outside the Town Hall from 4.30pm on Wednesday.

Older people’s services and the youth offending teams are among the services in the firing line.

Ian Brooke, of Save Our Services said: “Cuts in these services along with cuts in welfare benefits will lead to the intensification of social problems like crime and anti-social behaviour, while the cuts in waste collection and road repairs will further damage the fabric of our communities.

“The reduction of jobs because of cuts will also hit the town’s retail industry and impact on debt mortgage arrears and other social problems.

“Instead of making these cuts the council should be transferring resources from management and its financial reserve to boost front line services, and like the example of Hull City Council it should assist young people by setting up a localised Educational Maintenance Allowance. “It is especially of great dismay to see the Labour leadership of the council rush to implement damaging Tory cuts.

“We are calling on all trade unions, community groups and individuals to support this protest, it looks set to be large. Our voices must be heard. Already the government has had to back down over the question of selling off the nation’s forests and aspects of cuts to housing benefit which shows that protest can make a difference.”

Huddersfield TUC will also be among the groups providing a noisy protest as the cuts are thrashed out.

Bob Stoker, Huddersfield TUC, Secretary said: “We believe thatŠ councillors should think about the needs of the people of Kirklees when they go into the council chamber and should think long and hard about the most vulnerable in our community.

“The cuts are unacceptable.”

The protest takes place at 4.30pm and the meeting starts at 5pm tomorrow at the Town Hall.

KEY areas include:

The Youth Offending Team facing a funding drop of £1.18m to £1.06 in 2011/12 and 2012/13 and £1.03m in 2013/14.

Care for older people is to drop from a standstill figure of £52.1m to £46.1m in 2011/12, £43.3m the following year and £40.5m in 2013/14.

Care for people with physical disabilities to fall from £10.9m to £10.7m in 2011/12, £10.4m in 2012/13 and £10.3m the next year.

Day care services to drop from a standstill figure of £5.3m to £4.8m in 2011/12, £2.2m the following year and £1.5m in 2013/14

Spending on routine road repairs will fall from £4.4m to £4.2m in 2011/12, £4.1m the following year and £4m in 2013/14

Spending on libraries will fall from a standstill of £8.9m to £8.3m in 2011/12 and £8.2m in 2012/13 and 2013/14

Diversity and community cohesion spending could plummet from £148,000 to just £17,000 in each of the next three years.