The budget proposals from the Conservatives at County Hall reflect the difficult decisions facing the authority.

The county has an increasing population of older people and, as a result, the costs of adult care are rocketing.

Furthermore, the number of residents with profound disabilities is increasing and the county has to find the money to pay for their care.

Add to that the increase in expenditure associated with children's services, as the cost of fostering and residential care for young people rises, and it is clear this is not going to be an easy budget to balance.

The Tories are right to take a hard look at what the upcoming costs will be.

There is no point hoping for the best and as far as the ageing population is concerned, the politicians are up against a force of nature.

However, not all additional costs result from circumstances beyond the control of Conservative councillors.

The proposed council tax freeze is self-imposed.

This is a Tory manifesto commitment and will cost the council £9m next year.

Given the scale of the additional costs, is this the best year to implement a tax freeze?

The council has to cut services, add charges and axe staff to meet additional costs next year and make ends meet.

Put bluntly, the tax freeze means deeper cuts, more charges and less staff.

The service cuts, as currently proposed, will have a real impact, particularly on older people who do not yet have significant health problems.

Notts residents will have a chance to make their views known during a public budget consultation, which begins later this month.

The choice will be clear – pay more tax to preserve services.