DORSET County Council is faced with making cuts following a dramatic reduction in the funding it receives from central Government in its spending review announced last autumn.

Prior to the settlement, the council had been looking at making total savings of £48.6million over the next three financial years, with £27.1million coming in 2011/12.

That figure has risen to £55million over the three-year period, with a target of £31.1million for the coming year as the full impact of the settlement became apparent.

Each department of the council was asked to come up with ideas for savings and a total of £30.5million was earmarked for this year’s balances, with the remaining £0.6million coming from the authority’s reserves.

The council is also consulting on proposals to withdraw funding from 20 of the county’s 34 libraries as well as axing school crossing patrols.

Initial estimates by the authority suggested that up to 500 posts could be lost as a result of these spending cuts.