A COUNCIL is warning of major changes to its services as it seeks to plug a £46m funding gap.

Gateshead Council’s cabinet is expected to order public consultation on a range of proposals designed to achieve the budget cuts needed at a meeting next week.

Few details have been released, but Labour council leader Mick Henry said the authority was facing some of the toughest financial challenges in its history.

“We’ve already reduced our spending by £90.6m since 2010; but, because of further cuts in government funding, if we continue to provide services in the same way as we do now, we’ll have a shortfall of around £46m by 2017,” he said.

Councils are still waiting to hear from the Government how much money they will have next year, with the Local Government Finance Settlement expected towards the end of the year.

Cllr Henry said the authority wanted to protect vulnerable adults and children but needed to make choices about the services it offered to its residents.

“We know that many of the proposals will result in some significant changes to services that people hold dear, but we need to start making those decisions now as the money simply isn’t there to continue to provide them in the same way in future.

“Over the last four years, we’ve reduced our workforce by 1,700 people and now have £300 per resident per year less to spend.

“This has a major effect on the services we can deliver.”

Consultation is expected to begin on Tuesday (November 4) and run until December 30.