BRIGHTON and Hove City Council will make its biggest ever cuts next year with £24 million of savings needed.

The 2017/18 cuts facing the city council are worse than even anticipated in the summer with service pressures in adult and social care and further cuts to education grants increasing the strain.

A further £26 million will have to be found in the next two financial years with £18 million of those cuts already identified.

It will mean that around 140 jobs are expected to be lost in the next financial year with 300 in total to go over the next three years.

A further 320 jobs are set to be transferred out to private firms, trusts or the voluntary sector in the next three years.

Residents could see their council tax rise by six per cent next year with council anticipating a government announcement in the next few weeks of an increased adult social care precept to four per cent.

Despite a four year council budget process, there remains a £3 million budget gap in the 2017/18 plans with the council considering further reductions in social care and homelessness services while taking more from its reserves and further borrowing.

Council leader Warren Morgan said: “This is the most difficult year by far that the council has ever had to face of any administration.”

The budget proposals will be discussed at policy, resources and growth committee next Thursday.