From tonight people in North Yorkshire can have their say over drastic Government funding cuts which mean the county council must slash £93 million from services over four years.

It spends over £870 million a year on services including education, highways and social services. A large part of that, £466 million is for schools and is ring fenced so cannot be cut.

A further £103 million is specific grants and income. So the council must find savings in the remaining £363 million - which is spent on areas including roads, transport, waste, children’s social care, supporting adults and older people and home to school transport.

North Yorksshire County Council saved £52 million last year and this year  needs to save over £40 million in the next two years with final details not being released by the Government until January.

Officers and councillors say they’ve done all they can to protect frontline services with more than half the savings already made coming from administration and management levels.

Now they’re going out to consultation to ask the residents of the County for their feedback.

The first meeting is being held in Northallerton library tonight at 6.30pm with further meetings at Scarborough Library, December 13; January 10 at Skipton; January 15 Pickering Library, January 16 Harrogate library; January 17 Selby library and January 22 Richmond School.