CHANGES to a number of South Gloucestershire community services have been agreed by committee members as part of a six-year savings programme.

The Communities Committee considered recommendations for changes to a number of community services at a meeting on Tuesday, January 27.

The changes form part of the council’s six-year savings programme which aims to save £40 million annually by 2020 in response to ongoing national austerity measures.

For each service, a range of options to deliver the target savings were considered and members of the public and other organisations were invited to comment before final recommendations were prepared.

Members agreed to negotiate a substantial reduction to the West of England Care and Repair contract in order to achieve £168,000 savings within the Private Sector Housing service.

It was also agreed to provide support at a cost of £45,500 to Priority Neighbourhoods and £43,750 for Safer Stronger Groups and £2,000 for the Town and Parish Councils Forum.

Coordination of community speedwatch will be carried out by the police and support for Community Led Planning is being funded through a council grant.

These changes achieve the Community Engagement service savings target of £200,000.

Members agreed to achieve a saving in Environmental Health of £221,000 by reducing statutory services to a minimum.

As part of the budget proposals, the council is seeking to delay any reduction in its funding of community safety work.

Further savings programme projects will be considered by the communities committees in the coming years.

For more information about the options considered by committee members visit council.southglos.gov.uk.