AN all out drive to bring about greater efficiencies is to be made to prevent Bromsgrove people having to fork out higher council tax bills and suffer savage cuts in services.

That's the message the councillor responsible for controlling the district council's purse strings has for residents, his fellow members and the authority's employees, many of whom are worried about their long term job prospects.

Council boss Lesley Waller told the Advertiser/Messenger last week that job losses among the authority's 450 plus workforce could not be ruled out.

But, in a statement this week issued by council leader Dennis Norton (St John's) and Councillor Roger Hollingworth (Con-Alvechurch), the cabinet member responsible for finance, the pair say that while some tough decisions will have to be made and ways of generating greater income will be explored "at this stage there has been no discussions on redundancies."

Last week we exclusively revealed that the council, still struggling to recover from crippling problems associated with many of its activities, is facing a £1m plus shortfall in next year's budget.

The deficit is caused by a smaller than hoped for increase in government grant of just £250,000 more than last year, which won't even cover salary increases.

Cllr Hollingworth says the ruling Tory group will not take the easy way out and seek a short-term fix by dipping into reserves. Neither will they make savage cuts to services or hike the council tax, he says.

"I do not believe the people of Bromsgrove should be asked to pay any more," he said adding: "No stone will be left unturned in the drive for greater efficiency."

He admits the present administration is having to make unpopular decisions caused by, as he claims, "years of political mismanagement," at Burcot Lane.

But he points out that the Government is adding to local councils' problems by foisting on them additional responsibilities, while not providing any extra cash.

He quotes the employment of staff to implement community safety and anti-social behaviour orders as a typical example.

He also scotched rumours that the local authority is considering selling the Dolphin Centre in a bid to save cash.