A COUNCIL leader's frustration at the "potentially devastating" spending cuts imposed on his authority by the coalition Government has been revealed for the first time.

John Weighell, leader of the Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire County Council, wrote a strongly-worded letter to communities secretary Eric Pickles in December.

It was one of a number of pieces of correspondence released to Sky News under the Freedom of Information Act.

While local authorities controlled by Labour and the Liberal Democrats have criticised the cuts, this is the first time the frustration of many Conservative-led councils has been laid bare.

In the letter to Mr Pickles, dated December 23, Coun Weighell wrote: "The implications for North Yorkshire are potentially devastating and I believe that the settlement is unfair in the way that it treats this council, with serious consequences for front line services.

"I understand the need to tighten public spending and [the] county council expects to have to play its part, but this settlement goes beyond any of our expectations.

"We are low spending, low taxing and a high-performing council. We have already delivered considerable efficiencies to achieve this position.

"This settlement appears to penalise those of us who are amongst the most efficient already.

"The timescale that we are now expected to reduce budgets further is bound to result in a higher impact on front line services than any of us would want."

Richard Flinton, the council's chief executive, wrote a letter accompanying Coun Weighell's.

It warned: "Overall, the settlement will be devastating for council services.

"This proposed settlement is so severe, that we are formally moved to ask you to reconsider.

"If this settlement stands unaltered then the consequences in North Yorkshire for service delivering will be devastating."

The county council is being forced to make savings of £69m over four years, which will result in hundreds of job losses and cuts to services such as libraries.

A county council spokeswoman said the letters were private between the officials and Mr Pickles.

Several other Tory-led councils have written to Mr Pickles, expressing similar concerns.

A spokesman for the department for communities said: "It's no surprise that, in a response to a government funding consultation, councils asked to be subsidised with more taxpayers' money.

"But every bit of the public sector needs to do its bit to pay off Labour's deficit."