CHILDREN in Powys could start school later than those in other counties as part of a bid to help the cash strapped council cut £27m from its budget over the coming three years.

A series of proposals thrashed out by the council could see the age of admission to primary schools raised to the age of four, saving the authority £1.5m each year.

Other ‘difficult’ proposals to be taken forward include a reduction in grant funding to the voluntary sector, moving to a four weekly bin collection system, remodelling the county’s library service and closing two recycling centres.

Funding the county’s theatre and tourist information offices is set to be cut with a review of street lighting also due to take place.

The authority also plans to reduce the number of residential care beds available in the county, reduce demand for domiciliary care services with a saving of almost £2m and remodel its adult social services service provision.

Also hit by the cuts will be leisure services, school breakfast clubs, post-16 school transport and small schools, many of which will be put at risk of closure.

The council also aims to save some £250,000 by a reduction in members’ costs.

Powys County Council says that the proposals ‘are expected to deliver the required savings’ while protecting ‘most’ front line services and putting the authority on a ‘strong footing’ by 2019, when ‘further and continuing’ funding cuts are expected.

Joint Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Wynne Jones said, “We’ve already made savings of nearly £40m over the past few years, but there are no easy savings left to be taken. The cabinet wants to protect front line services where possible and therefore put in place a three year budget plan to achieve the required savings by an approach that includes remodelling services, forming joint venture companies, a wholly owned private company, outsourcing some services and also possible use of a charitable trust.

“In order to meet the challenging savings target of £27m each service has been required to identify how they will deliver services for 20 per cent less funding, except for adult social care, where the required saving is around 10 per cent. This means that adult social care will need to make savings of £5m, highways £6.2m, children’s services £2.8m and schools £4m.

“Unfortunately in such difficult times non-mandatory services are having to experience large cuts of 50 per cent, with some being withdrawn or charges introduced for others. The council also intends to become more commercial in its activities where possible.

Councillor Barry Thomas, Leader of Powys County Council, said,  “This has been a difficult process for the Cabinet and they have had to make some very difficult choices. There are around 135 different proposals being taken forward and we are able to announce details of the major items today.

“The cabinet’s proposals will now be taken forward to a budget seminar for all members of council on September 16, and later in September, the public will be consulted by an online budget simulator. This is a process where the public can indicate their priorities for achieving the required saving of £27m, and the outcome of this process will provide vital information for the cabinet and council to consider as the budget process moves forward.”

He continued, “As the council continues on its rapid journey of change, myself and my cabinet are committed to integrating all our relevant services with Powys teaching Health Board.

“Integration will provide us with opportunities to develop better services designed around the needs of individuals, while also allowing us to realise efficiencies.”