Reading Borough Council has made more than £70m in savings since 2010 due to continued cuts

A total of £11.25m could be saved by 2020, with £2.5m being stripped from adult social care and children's services.

Reading Borough Council has identified savings of more than £70m since 2010, but a 'black hole' funding gap means further cuts will be made.

The council is hoping to save £743k by improving the recruitment of permanent staff in children's services and asking schools to front-up £161k for improvements and running costs.

Council leader Jo Lovelock explained how the need to tighten the budget gap would inevitably mean vital services suffer.

She said: "The council continues to protect vital public services wherever possible in the face of unprecedented cuts in Government funding and huge increases in demand for services.

"We need a series of radical solutions and it is increasingly difficult for us as a council to be able to deliver quality services under such extreme financial constraints.

"There are some sensible solutions and measures included in the proposals, but by and large these are savings we do not want to have to make.

"A lot of families are really struggling and the housing crisis is only going to get worse. We need to direct our limited resources to help those most vulnerable and in need.

"The lack of contact from central Government has not helped this recent batch of cuts. The future is uncertain and we have heard very little to reassure us."

Detailed plans for these cost-cutting measures will be put before the council's Policy Committee on July 17, while some of the cutbacks are likely to go ahead without further consultation.

Further funds will be stripped from education despite the council's damning Ofsted record and a number of controversial suggestions in environmental and neighbourhood matters are expected to total £4.8m.

The council will prioritise parks by reducing grass cutting in low-priority areas, while charges for allotments will be increased.