LIVE - Dorset County Council budget meeting (From Dorset Echo)

1:00pm

The meeting has now ended.

12:37pm

The budget has been approved with a majority of councillors voting in favour.

12:35pm

Members are now being asked to vote on the budget

12:34pm

Lib Dem member for Weymouth Town Howard Legg said he did not have any confidence in the budget being proposed.
He said: “I believe some of the decisions to do with the budget are wrong and I will be willing to criticise where necessary.”

12:06pm

Spencer Flower cabinet member for corporate resources said the Lib Dem councillors needed to understand that the council had an obligation to produce a balanced budget.

11:40am

Coun Harris also hit out at a proposed reduction in funding towards the county's road safety partnership, claiming it would be a 'death blow' for the No Excuse campaign.

11:40am

Lib Dem member for Westham Coun David Harris hit out at the proposed reduction in bus budgets.
He said: "This will mean more isolated people will exist in our communities as they will not be able to get out of their immediate neighbourhoods and that is criminal."

11:27am

She added: "We on this side understand that people must be put first.

"Everything we see here today does not do that, indeed it could be argued it does exactly the opposite."

11:25am

Coun Dover claims a Freedom of Information request submitted by her party revealed the council had spent millions on consultants and agency staff over the last three years and called on the council to cut wasted costs.

11:22am

Coun Dover said: “We are supportive of the council tax freeze because we have no wish to put further tax burdens onto hard pressed families in Dorset.”

11:15am

Coun Campbell's budget proposal is seconded by his deputy Coun Hilary Cox.

11:10am

Coun Campbell said he was also recommending a freeze in the authority's share of the council tax.

11:03am

He added: "Our priorities remain to protect vulnerable people, to support communities and to grow the local economy."

11:02am

Coun Campbell said of the £19.5m savings the council need to find in the next financial year £5.6m would come through on-going savings already identified and £3m had been identified from central budgets. The remaining £10.9m is to come from service budgets.

10:54am

He added: "We will need to find at least a further £46million in savings over the next three years."

10:53am

Coun Campbell said over the last two years the council has saved £43million and reduced its workforce by over 500 full time equivalent posts

10:50am

Angus Campbell is giving his budget speech now...

Coun Campbell made reference to the 1929 Valentine's Day Massacre and added 'It is to be hoped today's business will not be so extreme.'

10:26am

10:22am

10:15am

10:07am

Kepp your comments comming - you can email newsdesk@dorsetecho.co.uk, tweet @Dorsetecho or @EchoDorch or comment below.

10:06am

Members of the county council were greeted by representatives from Unison asking them to sign a Valentine's Day card to show they oppose cuts to services.

9:58am

9:54am

You can also follow @EchoDorch for all the latest from the meeting

9:44am

Good morning

This morning Dorset County Council will be meeting at County Hall in Dorchester to vote on the latest round of cuts to services and our reporters will be there to bring you the latest news as it happens.
£10.9 million of savings are proposed.
Councillors will also be met by members of Unison as they arrive asking them to sign a Valentine’s Day card to show how much they care about public services beforehand.

Tell us what you think - tweet us @Dorsetecho