COUNCILLORS have delivered a grim warning of deep cuts to public services that seem inevitable next year – on top of millions of pounds already saved.

At a full meeting of Darlington Borough Council on Thursday (November 19), members discussed savings likely to be needed as a result of the Government's forthcoming spending review.

The council has already made saved more than £35m from its budget since 2012 – and is braced for cuts worth another £12m next year.

Council leader Bill Dixon said: "We don't know what [the next budget cuts] are yet, we are going to struggle to carry out our statutory functions.

"What I don't want is a budget year on year on year, where nobody knows what's happening.

"If the Government keep their word and gives us a long-term budget for the whole of this council administration, we can map out a course which should leave this authority still functioning.

"I'm not kidding when I say that, because there are leaders of authorities far bigger than us – Birmingham, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, the list goes on to about ten or 12 – who are not in the fortunate position we are in, they may not make the end of the next administration because of all these cuts.

"When we know what the cuts are, we will be honest about them."

Labour's Nick Wallis, cabinet member for leisure and local environment, gave members an update on his portfolio.

To illustrate the projected losses in this area, he said his report for Thursday's meeting ran to 17 pages, but in future it may be far fewer.

Cllr Wallis warned of the 'devastating likely impact' of Chancellor George Osborne's spending review next week.

He said: "All the treasured and valued services we deliver are not statutory – it's the Dolphin Centre, it's the Head of Steam, it's parks and gardens.

"I am not sure what will survive as far as my portfolio is concerned.

"If I was a gambling man, which I am, I would expect the initiatives covered by portfolio to be summarised in four pages, maybe five.

"It terms of mood, I veer from despair to sheer bloody anger at what we as a council are going to have to do over the next four years."

Conservative group leader Heather Scott retorted: "Now you know how George Osborne felt when he saw the note that was left by the last Labour government, telling him there was no money left."