Ref. 75897-24MORE cuts could be on the way after Swindon Council decided to go back on a plan to charge staff for parking at work.

The move, along with changing plans to increase burial and cremation charges by seven per cent, leaves the council looking for another £174,000 of savings.

But the rest of the £10m cuts planned as well as a pay rise of £22,000 for one member of staff were approved by the council's cabinet as it recommended a three per cent increase in council tax.

The decision came after protesters gathered outside to protest against cuts to the voluntary sector.

Lynn Turner, project manager at Walcot Family Centre, said the centre would probably close if the planned £50,000 was cut from the family centres budget.

"I think it will mean closure for Walcot Family Centre which would be a great loss to the community," she said.

"I think many families will struggle and their issues and problems would escalate."

Other protesters were rep-resenting voluntary groups who are set to see their grants cut by £252,000.

But no changes were made to these proposals by the Conservative cabinet, mean-ing they will almost certainly go through when the Tory-controlled full council sets the budget on February 21.

Council leader Coun Mike Bawden said they had to make some tough decisions.

"I would love to agree to what everybody wants, but at the end of the day there is a clear opinion that we want a council tax increase of three per cent," he said.

He said parking charges for staff which will save £150,000 should be discussed as part of the 'Single Status' process the council is about to go through. It would be inapprop-riate to make changes now.

Increasing burial and cremation charges by two per cent rather than seven per cent was a response to public consultation and adds another £24,000 to new savings needed.

Coun Bawden also justified the pay rise of £22,000 being given to Gavin Jones, who is director for cultural change.

"The rate at which Swindon has been improving has been an issue," he said.

"We are upgrading Gavin Jones to deputy chief execu-tive and giving him responsibility to improve the council."

Isabel Field