CONTROVERSIAL £33m cuts at Notts County Council have been agreed by ruling Tories.

Cabinet members voted during a fiery meeting yesterday to begin consultation on a wide range of measures, including plans to axe 470 jobs, sell all the council's 13 residential care homes and shut four day centres.

A public consultation will run from now until January 22 next year. The budget proposals will then return to the cabinet in February before going to the full council for a final decision the same month.

Opposition councillors were furious yesterday after council leader Coun Kay Cutts, who chaired the meeting, decided to only allow one member from opposition parties to speak about the budget, which is within council rules.

But Labour members criticised the move, claiming it was an attempt to "stifle the debate."

Coun Reg Adair, cabinet member for finance and property, who recommended the budget, described it as one which "does not flinch from the challenges we face."

He told the meeting: "If we adopted Labour policy of taxing our way out we would have had to increase the council tax burden by 11%. That is just not an option."

He said the budget, which included a proposed council tax freeze for the next three years, aimed to "lift the burden from hardworking families."

He added: "Notts is the highest charging shire in England. Sadly you don't always get what you pay for. It is time to set things right.

"This will not be easy. These are difficult decisions and there will be more difficult decisions to come."

The council says it needs to save £85m over the next three years to meet the spiralling cost of an aging population and safeguarding children.

It also needs to meet a Tory manifesto pledge of delivering a zero per cent council tax increase at a cost of £9m per year.

Up to 1,400 jobs are likely to be axed in total.

Labour Coun Glynn Gilfoyle said the proposed cuts were an "attack on the most vulnerable."

He told the meeting: "Quite simply, it is a Thatcherite budget for the wealthiest people of Notts.

"For the very first time I am ashamed to be a member of Notts County Council."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Coun Stan Heptinstall said: "These are very difficult times and I think all of us recognise that.

"But you have to understand that some of the savings that are proposed have huge implications for the people we represent."

Coun Cutts said all councils faced similar challenges. She said: "These are not cuts from the budget, they are a re-allocation of resources.

"We are having to tackle problems which are a legacy of the previous administration."

To take part in the consultation, visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/budgetforthefuture or write to Budget Consultation, NCC, Freepost, NG428, Nottingham, NG2 1BR. Alternatively find out more by calling 08449 808 080.

chris.birkle@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk