A CONTROVERSIAL programme of spending cuts has been approved by Worcester City Council following the tightest of votes at the Guildhall.

The Conservative cabinet's newly-adopted 2008/09 budget for the city aims to make around £1.6 million savings on last year's spending, with every council department expected to make significant cutbacks.

But gaining the council's approval for the budget was far from plain sailing, with both the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups opposing the plans.

On two occasions the voting was tied, and it took the casting vote of the Mayor of Worcester, Conservative Councillor Stephen Inman, to prevent the spending plan being sent back to the cabinet for modification.

Presenting the budget to council, leader Councillor Simon Geraghty described it as "one of the toughest pieces of work the cabinet have had to deal with in many years."

He said huge savings were necessary following the city's "savage" cut in funding from central Government, but insisted frontline services would not be affected despite the cash crisis.

Instead, he said, money would be saved by sharing services with neighbouring authorities, and by making efficiency savings in every department.

And although some of the city's major spending plans have had to be dropped - such as the pedestrianisation of Cathedral Square - Coun Geraghty insisted the council "has not lost any of its ambition."

But the plans were strongly criticised by opposition councillors, with Labour leader Councillor Adrian Gregson claiming the cabinet's financial woes were due to "the way it has managed its budget since it came to power."

He rubbished claims that services would not be affected by the cutbacks, saying: "The impact of these cuts has been glossed over. This implies things have been over-resourced or overstaffed for the past six years - and we all know that's not the case."

Deputy Labour leader Councillor Paul Denham said homelessness and affordable housing should have been made the council's top priorities, while Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Susan Askin wanted the planned £1 million riverside enhancement to be replaced with a cheaper scheme.

But their attempts to have the budget revised failed by the narrowest of margins - with Independent Councillor Mike Layland choosing to abstain, the voting was tied at 16-16, allowing the Mayor to give his casting vote of approval.

City budget - the key cuts - Capital programme to be cut back, with Cathedral Square pedestrianisation dropped - Increase in cemetery and crematorium charges - Two community safety officer posts funded by the council to be cut - Customer Service Centre in Farrier Street to become cash-free' - Car park charges for council staff and councillors to double - £100,000 cut from planning department budget - Parks and street-cleaning departments combined to make efficiency savings - Reviews of car parks, Guildhall and other key assets launched, to bring in extra revenue City budget - major new spending - Phase One of the riverside enhancement - £1 million - Tackling homelessness - extra £230,000 - Play area refurbishment - extra £100,000 - More CCTV - £90,000 - Improving car parks, bus shelters and street lighting - extra £39,000 - Implementing plans to share services and cut running costs - £200,000 - New gardener for refurbished Gheluvelt Park - £25,000