Last chance to have a say on council cuts

The Conservative-controlled West Berkshire Council is looking to save £3m from frontline services, in order to cope with a reduction in government grants.
Among the proposals are increasing charges on a Sunday in its car parks and charging for using public toilets in Newbury town centre.
Almost half of the £146,000 budget for public conveniences is proposed to be cut, with the council signalling its intention to withdraw funding from Thatcham, Hungerford, Aldermaston, Pangbourne and Kintbury. These parishes could be forced to foot the bill or face public toilets being closed.
The proposals could also see seven libraries have their opening hours reduced.
Among the worst hit areas will be theatres, with the Corn Exchange receiving news its funding is set to be almost halved on its 20th anniversary year and the Watermill Theatre seeing £10,000 cut from its funding.
The council will also look to increase fares and assess the viability of routes on some of the 29 bus services that it currently subsidises.
Road maintenance could be another area hit, with £165,000 proposed to be cut from the £942,000 budget.
The council aims to save a further £16,000 a year by completely cutting funding to eight different school patrol crossings across the district. Those earmarked are St Paul’s, Long Lane, Spurcroft, Firtree, Whitelands, Pangbourne, Mortimer St Johns and John Rankin.
West Berkshire Council, which saved £5m last year, raised council tax by two per cent for 2013/14, but promised there would be no further rises for the following two years.
To view a full list of services affected by the proposed cuts, visit the consultation finder page www.engagespace.co.uk/ westberks