VOLUNTEERS could be drafted in to provide services in a cash-strapped town grappling with budget cuts.

Middlesbrough Council, which already usesmore than 150 unpaid workers, now wants to attract more volunteers across a wider spectrum.

The authority is in the midst of a public consultation looking at ways to save £13.8m in the next financial year, resulting in the loss of up to 120 jobs.

A report, produced for the monthly meeting of the council's executive held on Tuesday, said that with the drastic reductions in funding to public bodies, communities could lose valuable services which meet the need of residents.

The report said: "It may be perceived that the use of volunteers is a process aimed at sourcing free labour where the council or other public bodies would otherwise employ salaried workers, this is not the case.

"The reality is that, in the current climate of severe cuts, it is likely that more volunteers may be willing to add value to services and such opportunities should be actively encouraged and embraced wherever possible."

While forging ahead with austerity measures to cut £6bn, the Government is striving to create a Big Society which would open up public services enabling voluntary, private sector and employeeowned co-operatives to offer high-quality services.

Councillor Brenda Thompson, executive member for public health and sport, said: "I think this is a very timely paper. People are asking how they can help. It is not about replacing paid staffbut about adding value."

Councillor Joan McTigue, representing the Beechwood ward, said: "I am all for trying torope in some more volunteers, but at this time how can we ask people to volunteer when councillors are getting thousands and there is no evidence that they are going to forgo these allowances?

"I think we have to show the people out there who pay us that we are doing our bit as well."

Ray Mallon, Mayor of Middlesbrough, said he would not ask any councillor to take cuts in relation to the financial allowances they received, adding: "Even though we are in dire financial straits the town will not become paralysed because there are lots of people who want to help."