Thanet's cemeteries, public toilets and tourist events could be among the high-profile casualties in the district council’s 2009 budget.

The authority will ask local people to give their opinions on how it intends to spend a £23 million budget, which includes a string of controversial cutbacks.

Proposals include pulling £23,000 from its events budget, saving £15,000 by reducing the number of staff who work in crematoriums and cemeteries, and slashing the amount it spends on promoting tourism by up to £20,000.

Thanet council is also hoping to close five public toilets, with savings of £30,000, and reduce the total funding given to Town Partnerships and the East Kent Maritime Trust by some £40,000.

Draft budget proposals which go before councillors on Thursday, November 6 are expected to give a high priority to economic regeneration, street cleansing and refuse collection, crime reduction and customer service.