SPENDING cuts forced on councils after the next election may cost Torbay Council 200 jobs in the next four years.

Cuts of up to 25 per cent are predicted by Bay chief executive Elizabeth Raikes (pictured) and with it the loss of jobs.

The axe may fall on roads, environmental services, libraries, arts and leisure activities, says Mrs Raikes.

The job losses and spending fears are raised in answers to a survey by the BBC on council funding and possible cuts sent to council chief executives across the UK.

Torbay's response was compiled by Mrs Raikes, with the help of some senior management. She says the overall cut is likely to exclude school budgets but in three years time the number on the council's pay roll could be around 1,300, down about 200 from now.

In the survey Mrs Raikes says the council is working on ways of saving cash; commissioning services, putting up prices, restructuring, cutting functions, increasing income and more work with the private sector.

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders said the figures are an indication of wishes.

He said the council has been receiving record-breaking increases in Government grant after changes in funding resulting in inflation-busting rises in the last three years compared to the much lower rises elsewhere in the region.

"Torbay should be anticipating below average cuts if a future Government puts the squeeze on council spending.

"Sadly the chief executive's plan would see cuts to non-statutory services which would mean roads and pavements not being maintained, public toilets being closed and parks and gardens going untended, for example.

"Curiously the survey didn't explore whether cuts would be forthcoming to the council's bloated press office, or for the army of consultants the mayor has brought in."

Torbay deputy mayor Chris Lewis said it is important to protect social services and for the vulnerable people they protect.

He added: "Cuts and an emergency budget are likely to follow the next general election and we don't want to be caught with our head in the sand.

"We are planning for the future. It would be quite wrong for us to wait."

Lib Dem minority leader Cllr Steve Darling said: "Some economists have highlighted we in Torbay are even more dependent than most on public service employment so to lose a large chunk of jobs when there is a squeeze on spending is more worrying than ever."

Mrs Raikes told the Herald Express it has been clear for some time there will be spending cuts following an election.

She said: "We do not know how much that cut will be yet. Torbay Council, like many other councils, has begun to plan for this."

Mrs Raikes said: "Our approach will be flexible and prudent to deal with worst and best case scenarios in a planned manner.

"We have been successful year on year in making the required efficiency savings of three and now four percent.

"In setting the budget for 2010-11 we made five per cent savings."

Mrs Raikes said savings of 20 to 25 per cent over four years is not much more than the savings already being made each year.

She added: "This year our savings were not equally distributed across the board because we focussed on priority areas.

"This approach will continue while we seek to get more or the same for less. This may not always be possible."