BREAKFAST and after school clubs could be at risk of closure after borough council leaders announced further budget cuts.

Despite having already slashed nearly £45m from its budget since 2010 the borough council needs to make a further £25m worth cuts by 2018. Council leader Jo Lovelock revealed on Friday last week that £8.67m of those savings have already been identified.

But while borough education leader Cllr John Ennis (pictured right) admitted that the ring-fenced Government Dedicated School Grant (DSG) has been protected at £87m, the Education Support Grant (ESG) has been cut by 20 per cent a year since 2010.

Cllr Ennis warned that if the ESG keeps falling at the current rate the only way to save services is to take cash from other budgets.

He said: “It means less intervention by the council to schools. It means holiday clubs are under threat. Although we are trying to mitigate and not do that, it means if we keep them we have to take money out from elsewhere.

“We are determined to protect as much in education as possible within the budget

“We prioritise children and older people - we have done that deliberately. But there comes a time when you can only do so much.”

The proposals are being brought before the borough council’s policy committee for approval on Monday alongside plans for the future of education provision. Those plans include closer collaboration between schools to keep standards high, new school partnership advisors being brought in and more support for headteachers and governors.

Cllr Ennis said: “We are working with schools. We feel if we can work with schools and they can collaborate with each other children will not feel a negative impact.”