MORE cuts could be on the way at Worcestershire County Council - after the Government offered a "disappointing" funding deal for next year.

Just before the festive period got underway local authorities around the country were given their provisional funding settlements for 2016/17.

But your Worcester News can reveal how the offer has fallen below expectations at County Hall, where bosses had already drawn up plans to save £24.6 million from April.

As part of a £326 million budget it was expecting around £43 million from the main Government Revenue Support Grant (RSG), but the offer has fallen short of expectations.

The Conservative leadership says it will spend the early-January period analysing what is on the table before making any decisions, with the exact details of the shortfall being kept under wraps for now.

The RSG cash is out for consultation with councils until mid-January, with leader Councillor Adrian Hardman, who is quitting as leader in two weeks after being charged with drink driving warning that more tough decisions may have to be made.

He said: "We are clearly disappointed by some aspects of the announcement.

"Our initial reaction to the provisional settlement for 2016-17 is that this may lead to some further consideration of the challenges we face.

"The Government has clearly indicated a desire to change the way in which its core funding is distributed across the country - potentially to the detriment of county councils."

He said it was "too early" to comment in greater detail around what the funding offer was until the figures had been analysed in detail.

Several councillors at County Hall are talking about a rumoured £11 million 'gap' that may need to be plugged unless the position changes, but the timescale has not been confirmed and at this stage, it could prove to be unfounded.

Sean Pearce, the chief financial officer at County Hall, did email councillors two days before Christmas to call the provisional offer "particularly complex".

But the warning has prompted serious concern from the opposition Labour group, which has called the situation "ridiculous".

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "Once again it shows how out of touch the Government is with the county council.

"The meat has already gone off the bone, we've got big problems."

The 2016/17 budget, which will be voted on in February, includes a 3.9 per cent council tax rise, the largest allowed without staging a public referendum, to pump more cash into social care for adults and vulnerable children.

Meanwhile, Worcester City Council says it needs time to consider its own position after being offered a possible four-year funding settlement from central Government.

Instead of the usual 12-month deal Whitehall has put an alternative offer on the table lasting until the end of the 2019/20 financial year.

The council had been expecting just a one-year handout of around £1.5 million.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, the deputy leader, said: "We've received a very complex settlement from the Government this year including the offer of a four-year deal which would end the uncertainty of these annual funding settlements.

"From our initial examination of the settlement, there is nothing that changes our budget plans for the 2016/17 financial year."

He said the authority would "analyse it in detail" before making any decisions.

Chancellor George Osborne has already said he wants to phase out the RSG altogether by 2020 in return for councils being allowed to keep all their business rates.