A warning of “deep and painful cuts” in council services and facilities has come from Canterbury City Council chief executive Colin Carmichael, right.

He warns that all the “nice things” the council provides like leisure centres, swimming pools, museums, the visitor information centre and grants to voluntary organisations will come under scrutiny as the council looks to save millions of pounds.

The review is likely to lead to "significant" job losses over the next few years.

Mr Carmichael said swift and deep cost-cutting was vital because the council’s income is falling and local authorities expected to bear the brunt of swingeing government cutbacks.

He stressed that no proposals were on the table but every department would be tasked with identifying significant savings for a report to the council executive in the autumn.

Full story and reaction in this week's Gazette.