GORDON Brown and David Cameron have been talking tough about public sector cuts for weeks.

Today the talk becomes grim reality for thousands of county council workers in Worcestershire and tens of thousands of council tax payers.

Today’s announcement that County Hall chiefs are to make £45 million worth of cuts over the next four years is a real bombshell.

The £45m equates to 15 per cent of the council’s overall budget.

It is a huge number and it is inevitable that jobs and services will go.

The devil will be in the detail and, as yet, detail is in short supply. We have been given a headline figure but no explanation of how or from where the money will be saved.

Our plea to the bigwigs at County Hall is simple and direct – the most vital front line jobs and services have to be protected.

The £45m must not be found via a slash and burn exercise.

The interests of the needy and the vulnerable must come first – and every councillor or officer involved in this process must keep that at the forefront of their minds.

Those deciding where cuts will be made are accountable, first and foremost, to the people of Worcestershire.

Those at the very top of the organisation have to take the lead and we expect to see freezes or reductions in their salaries and expenses.

We will be watching their actions on your behalf.

Politicians and civil servants at County Hall have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. They must not get this wrong.