Front line services in Havering could be hit by the latest wave of government spending cuts, according to a councillor.

Councillor Roger Ramsey (Con, Emerson Park) said that Havering Council could be faced with no other option than to reduce some of its statutory services to a minimum if its funding is slashed any further.

He said: “All successive governments seem to think that Local Government will find a way of making the savings and we have become a victim of our own success because we do always find a way of making the savings, but if it goes on like this the services that we try to protect will be down to a minimum because there are only so many financial efficiencies that we can take.

“Our officers have done really well over the years coping with front line services but there will come a point when we won’t be able to do it.”

His comments came during a debate on the council’s financial strategy at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday September 26.

In the first wave of the government’s spending cuts, Havering Council was forced to make savings of �19million.

As part of the second round of cuts, the council has to make a further �16million worth of savings.

The committee also heard that there will be a number of changes to the way local authorities are funded.

Cllr Ramsey said: “Its going to be a pretty bumpy road ahead because of all the changes to funding.

“Havering might not be worse off but we certainly won’t be better off.”