CORNWALL Council is set to reduce its workforce by 388 under budget plans for the coming year.

However while the reduction is the equivalent to 388 full-time employees the council said this will be reduced to 167 after mitigations including reducing the amount spent on agency staff. No indication has been provided for where the jobs might be cut.

Details of the job cuts are included in a report which is going to the council’s Cabinet this week as work continues in drawing up the council’s budget for 2019/20.

The council is currently following a four year medium term financial plan (MTFP) which is looking to make savings of £77 million. This is on top of £300m of savings which have already been made by the council.

Such drastic cuts have had to be made due to a reduction in funding for the council from central government along with a rise in demand for council services.

Details of the planning for next year’s budget have been published as reports from councils elsewhere in the country reveal that some councils are having to make even more severe cuts and some are at risk of bankruptcy.

A report going to Cabinet states that since 2010 the council has seen the amount of funding it receives from the government falling by 40%.

The report warns: “Whilst the Council is in a sound financial position, with a strong track record of delivering its budgets supported by reserves, it cannot continue to deliver the savings required year on year and deliver a balanced budget without impacting upon the delivery of services.

“Recent events at Northamptonshire County Council, Somerset County Council, East Sussex County Council and most recently Torbay Council all illustrate the challenges facing local government, particularly for those authorities responsible for providing social care. Cornwall Council does not want to face the position currently faced by these authorities of only providing services at the statutory minimum.”

The report states that the council’s budget proposals allow for a 3.99% increase in council tax for Cornwall Council which includes a 2% rise for adult social care.

Under these plans Cornwall Council’s share of the council tax in 2019/20 would be £1,527.09 for a band D property or £1,187.74 for a band B property. Final bills will also include charges for Devon and Cornwall Police and town and parish councils.

With planning for next year’s budget underway the council will launch its consultation on its plans on September 26. Last year the council hosted a number of public events to discuss the budget plans and get people’s views as well as having an online survey and inviting comments on social media.

The report states: “People generally appreciate that the need for budget savings is not the Council’s choice and encourage the Council to lobby Government to reduce the impact of national funding cuts on Cornwall. Many of the comments received reflect either resignation to the need to increase council tax, or anxiety about how people will be able to live with another increase in the cost of living.”

Cornwall Council’s Cabinet will meet on Wednesday.