COUNTY council bosses have been told they must save an extra £67 million over the next three years.
Council services had already been hit hard by the last round of cuts to government grants, which saw the need to save £92 million by 2018.
But in a meeting at Shire Hall today, it was revealed the council have been given the daunting task of saving even more money
It will almost certainly lead to cuts to services and some may have to go completely.
Some 300 council jobs could also be lost.
Council leader coun Izzi Seccombe said: “We have always been open about the scale of challenges facing the council.
“We have already been through a difficult period and have had to make some difficult decisions. We have not shied away from these.
“At the heart of our decision making have been the key principles of fairness, equality and providing the best services we can for those who need them most.
“We now need to identify around a further £67 million worth of savings over the next three years. This £67 million arises from reductions in government grants, inflation and additional demographic pressures.
“This means shaping the future of a very different county council and different public service provision in Warwickshire by 2020. Everything we do is on behalf of and impacts on the people of Warwickshire and we need to have a conversation with people about their priorities, hopes and fears, challenges and ambitions.”
Councillors plan to talk to residents about the most valued services before the budget is set next February.
They will also be talking to staff about how the cuts will affect their positions.
Coun Seccombe added: “We will be talking to our staff about how this might affect them and how we can work together to deliver services differently in the future.
“We will also be going to talk to people around the county, we want to open up a conversation with our communities – to talk about the scale of the issues we face.
“We need to know what people value. By taking these difficult decisions and investing in the future, I am confident that we will meet this challenge and be successful in making Warwickshire the best it can be.”
