For four years, Northamptonshire’s county council papered over the cracks of its deteriorating finances, blithely convinced the government would ultimately bail it out. Ministers refused to come to the rescue and now, amid political recriminations and public anger, the brutal correction starts.

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From 2014 onwards, it failed to manage massive recurring overspends in children’s services and adult social care, which spiralled from £3m in 2014 to £32m in 2016-17. Over that period, at least £80m of planned savings never materialised and the council ignored internal warnings as early as 2015 that its finances were out of control.

The council balanced its books by draining its reserves. Back then, it had £57m in “rainy day” funds; now it has £12m. It used £40m in capital receipts from asset sales to fund day-to-day services. It misused £16m from the NHS earmarked for public health, spending it instead on social care.

What is clear from Thursday’s council meeting is that the era of sticking plasters and accounting dodges is over. Northamptonshire finds itself having to make harsh, abrupt cuts on a huge scale – £70m in the next nine months alone. It will shine an unforgiving light on the plight of local government.

The most high-profile symbol of the cuts to date has arguably been the county’s 36 libraries, 21 of which the council wants to close or sell. There is popular outrage at this, not least in Northamptonshire’s more well-heeled rural areas, making its Tory MPs nervous. The proposal is being challenged in the courts.

Less well known is that 19 of the 21 libraries under threat host early-years children’s services such as mother-and-baby groups and health visitor sessions. These services were moved into libraries two years ago when an earlier round of cuts closed several SureStart centres. Where these services will go now is unclear.

Northamptonshire’s cuts will be felt in even its leafiest and most prosperous areas. Dig into the council’s cuts plans and you find an axe taken to highways budgets – less pothole filling, winter gritting and traffic light maintenance. The council expects legal challenges to these, too

There is the removal of bus subsidies on rural routes connecting the county’s villages, another source of growing anger, and cuts to the county’s museums and heritage sites. If the council can charge for a service, or raise charges, it most likely will. Recycling centres may close; local charities will see grants disappear.

These are just the existing cuts plans: what is required in the next few months will take the council into uncharted territory. The two big areas of expenditure are adult and children’s social care. Expect tighter restrictions on who gets that care. The council has made clear that it will provide the legal minimum, to “those most in need only”.

The council’s Tory leader, Matthew Golby, promised that no vulnerable children would be put in danger despite the cuts and the council would meet its legal obligations to provide core services. Politically, he cannot say otherwise. In the next few months, his assertions will be severely tested.