Councillors warn £90 million cuts could be "devastating" as they hit the "most vulnerable

East Sussex County Council is feeling the squeeze as they have to make the heavy savings by 2019 with major cuts proposed for the adult social care and children’s services budgets.

Leader of the Tory council Keith Glazier said they are moving up to “tougher territory” and said these “will be genuine cuts not savings”.

About 50 council jobs could be lost in the next financial year with 250 to go over the next three years.

A report being presented to the council at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday states between £70 million and £90 million will need to be cut to balance the books.

Councillor Glazier said:” We take no pleasure in doing this but we have to produce a balanced budget and yes we will be hurting the most vulnerable.”

The council grant from the Government has been cut and he said “we have to make the savings, we have no choice". "Different political parties need to work together to make this possible,” he added.

Over the next three years £40 million is proposed to be cut from the adult social care budget and £13.2 million from children’s services.

Councillor Trevor Webb, leader of the Labour Group, declared the party were going to launch an anti-austerity campaign in opposition to proposed cuts.

£5 million could also be slashed from the communities, economy and transport budget and £2.7 million from business services.

Councillor David Tutt, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said the impacts of the proposed cuts “are going to be devastating”.

He said: “The proposals which they are considering are dramatic cuts which will impact severely on the elderly and children.

“We feel very uncomfortable and we do not agree with the way it has been handled.”

He said he “would expect” the Labour Group to take up an anti-austerity stance but said “no cuts is simply not a viable option” and they “have to take responsibility”.

The council will meet in the council chamber at County Hall, Lewes, at 10am on Tuesday.