Libraries, youth services and day care services face a major shake-up as council bosses look to make £75million worth of savings over the next three years.

West Sussex County Council says it needs to make the changes as the Government aims to reduce the national debt.

East Sussex County Council will have to make £8.4million of cuts this year while Brighton and Hove City Council said they were already committed to making £45million worth of savings in the next three years.

The councils are preparing for the worst with huge cuts in funding expected when the Government holds its autumn spending review.

West Sussex County Council has announced they will look to meet the savings through a five-point plan that will include a review of all council services.

Savings will also be achieved by cutting the cost of bureaucracy by a third in the next three years.

Council leader Louise Goldsmith said: “Our best estimate so far is that we will need to make savings of at least £75 million over the next three years, and it could be more.

“However, we are not going to make knee-jerk sweeping reductions in services and our approach is to look at reducing our spending in a controlled and sustainable way.”

The County Council’s cabinet meets next week to identify the first areas that will bear the brunt of the £12.8 million grant reduction in the current financial year.