Council directors are being asked to come up with new cost-cutting ideas as Medway risks running £6.1m over budget.

Papers going before Medway Council’s cabinet tomorrow outline the first round of monitoring since the council set a budget requirement of £331.431m and raised council tax by 1.99% in February.

Published figures predict overspending in excess of £4m on general fund services; £1m on regeneration, community and culture; £615,000 on business support and £73,000 on levies.

Finance chiefs have concluded the predicted £6.1m overspend should be reduced to £4.2m by planned management action.

They said the first round of monitoring is "generally the most pessimistic forecast of the year", adding: "Directorate management teams will continue to identify measures to contain expenditure within the overall budget."

The cabinet is recommended to instruct directors to "come forward with further proposals for management action to reduce the potential deficit."

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