DIAL-A-RIDE bus services, three community centres and a library could be axed if £5.47m package of cuts is approved by a North-East council.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to vote in favour of the cuts next week, in response to less Government funding.

The council’s main revenue grant from central Government will fall from £51.5m in 2010-11 to £41.3m in 2012-13.

The closure of West View library, Jutland Community Centre, West View Community Centre and Seaton Youth Centre and Sports Hall, in Seaton Carew, are among the projects facing the axe.

Other proposals affected include stopping the hospital bus service and stopping funding to private bus companies, producing the awardwinning community magazine Hartbeat on zero budget, a reduction in the out-ofhours noise nuisance service, reducing the amount spent on flower beds, reducing funding to community and voluntary organisations, relocating the registrars service to the Civic Centre and rationalisation of departmental finance teams.

Up to 86 jobs are also facing the axe.

Last month, Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond wrote to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles after the council was given the highest possible grant reduction of 8.8 per cent.

This figure equates to £113 per head of population of Hartlepool. The national average reduction is £49.

Despite reducing the original budget deficit from £12.9m through a series of efficiency measures, the report to cabinet says the remaining savings of £5.47m have to come from frontline services, where most of the council’s budget is spent.

Mr Drummond said: “Everyone accepts that there has to be cuts in public sector funding to reduce the Government deficit, but the scale of the reduction in funding for Hartlepool is extremely unfair.

“Compared to most other towns and cities, we have been significantly disadvantaged and we have protested most strongly to the Government.”

Councillors are also being asked to agree to a council tax freeze from April as part of the budget proposals.

Cabinet members will meet on Monday to vote on the proposals