MONMOUTHSHIRE council estimate a further £14.5 million needs to be found over the next four years due to further local government cuts.

A report on the Medium Term Financial Plan which will go before the cabinet on September 3, shows that due to Lesley Griffiths, the local government minister's announcement, of further 4.5 per cent cuts, the council have already identified a saving of £13 million over four years is needed and estimate an additional £14.5 million in savings could be needed.

A review of the pressures contained in the plan is being undertaken and the council have identified two potential new pressures which include teachers pension impact and children's social services. The part year impact for teachers pensions in 15/16 is £330,000 and the full year impact in 16/17 is £566,000.

The council have estimated a £500,000 needed for Children's social services due to the increasing numbers of children who need looking after.

The Council’s net budget is around the £160 million level, but parts of this are fixed for organisations such as the police, cost of servicing debt and payment of those in receipt of council tax reduction support. The budget is £126 million after those and the council estimated a pressure of £14.5 million over the next four years would mean a reductions of around 11.6 per cent if spread across all services, reductions of around 18 per cent if the protection is applied to school budgets and reductions of around 31 per cent if protection is applied to schools and social services budget.

Specific proposals for the 2015/16 budget will be presented to cabinet in December after a public consultation. With final proposals presented to cabinet in mid February after consideration of any consultation feedback. The budget will then go to full council at the end of February.