A council has agreed plans to save £3.2million over the next two years.

Arun District Council hopes to save the money through a number of measures, including the loss of around 44 members of staff.

The proposals include reducing the number of council buildings, stopping its small grants programme from 2011 with the exception of £5,000 for a small grants fund and reduced salary increases of 1% for most staff and nothing for the most senior officers.

Other plans are to close the cash offices in Bognor Town Hall and at the civic centre in Littlehampton by 2011, to no longer directly provide visitor information centres in Arundel and Bognor from 2011 and to transfer taxi inspection services to private sector garages.

Ian Sumnall, the council’s chief executive, said: “The district council will be operating at a significantly reduced level in future of around 85% to 90% of its current capacity.

“We will still strive to be a good council, providing the best services we can within the funding available, but we will be a smaller organisation.”

The proposals have been approved by the council’s cabinet and will now go to the full council meeting for a final decision on December 16 at Arun Civic Centre.

The meeting begins at 6pm and is open to the public.

To comment on the recommendations email the leader of the council Gillian Brown at gillianannabrown@aol.com or write to Coun Brown, Arun District Council, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF.