Cuts threat to council services

Medway Council said it was "battling" to protect services

"Stringent measures" to protect front-line services are being taken by Medway Council which is tackling a £6m overspend, the authority has said.

Deputy council leader Alan Jarrett said the authority was "battling" to protect services but faced difficult decisions.

"We must protect those services that we are legally bound to provide to the most vulnerable," he said.

But he added: "There are many other services that are also important to our residents which may have to be cut."

The authority has said it gets "less government funding per head of population than most councils" and there are fears the deal for the next financial year will be worse.

Mr Jarrett said: "Keeping council tax low has been our priority but without proper government funding the gap between ourselves and other parts of the country is widening."