Cash-strapped Bath and North East Somerset Council says it can save 90 per cent of the money it needs to balance its books next year without axing frontline services.

The authority needs to save £12 million in the coming year as Government support is squeezed and demand for social care rises.

It will begin the process of setting a budget for the next financial year next Wednesday, when its cabinet will be told that cuts to frontline services will amount only to £1.2 million.

The rest of the savings will come from renegotiating contracts, reducing borrowing and what B&NES calls "significant back office" changes.

It says balancing the books and freezing council tax in line with Government requirements has been "extremely challenging".

Cabinet member for resources Councillor David Bellotti (Lib Dem, Lyncombe) said: "Due to our sensible financial management and living within our means by consistently delivering balanced budgets, making significant back office and procurement efficiency savings, and reducing our borrowings, the council can protect frontline, quality priority public services and freeze council tax.

"This compares well in contrast to other councils who are already making deep cuts to frontline services to balance their budgets.

"Because the council has been prudent with its finances, we are able to propose investment to create neighbourhoods where people feel proud to live and help build a stronger economy."

Among its new spending plans are a £2 million investment over two years in new street lighting, £1.2 million over three years on new affordable homes, £2.44 million on repairing Victoria Bridge, £500,000 on new 20mph limits, and £7.5 million on improving school buildings.

The council will be spending £4.8 million on roads maintenance in the next year, as well as £500,000 to restore woodland at Beechen Cliff and £1.8 million to improve Rossiter Road at Widcombe to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.

It has pledged to freeze parking charges and park and ride fares.

B&NES says it expects the public spending squeeze to continue beyond the period of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review, which ends in 2015.

It says: "There will be the need for even greater prioritisation and redesign of services in response to the Government's strategy to tackle the national economic crisis."

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