A £100,000 kitty is being drawn up at Worcester City Council to try and find new ideas for bringing in money.

Bosses at the cash-strapped council are trying to avoid making harsh cuts by focusing on "income generation", saying it could help close the gap.

As the Worcester News revealed on Friday, finance chiefs are forecasting a budget 'gap' of £1.9 million to open up by 2021/22.

By December the Labour leadership aims to come up with fresh ideas for plugging some of the gap, with the aim of getting it down to £600,000.

But by focusing on getting more income, they hope to avoid making swingeing cuts as they strive to reach the end goal.

Back in February the council decided to earmark £500,000 towards income generation ideas, but the Labour cabinet now wants to draw out £100,000 from that fund to get the work started. 

A new report on it says the council will require "specialist support" to fully understand the potential of it, asking outside experts to come in.

The five-year strategy calls for "two to three" so-called "big ticket" projects that bring in large amounts of extra money for the council, which could include focusing on its buildings, making sites available for housing or even tourism.

The report says Sansome Walk swimming pool site, which will be redundant next year when the new-look Perdiswell Leisure Centre opens up, could be one opportunity for the council's bottom line.

It also cites the take-up of trade and garden waste collections, renewable energy, Perdiswell's defunct park and ride and the Guildhall as areas to explore for possible extra income.

Cllr Joy Squires, the deputy leader, said: "In the face of really tough Government funding cuts, we are doing all we can to make the council efficient and fit for the future, maintain vital services and secure an environmentally sound and prosperous future for Worcester.

"That will mean different ways of working, using council buildings and assets to full potential and attracting good employers and investment into the city."

But the opposition Conservative group has called the new report "pathetic" and says Labour are struggling for ideas.

Cllr Marc Bayliss, Tory group leader, said: "They have refused to rule out putting up car parking charges and I suspect they will be running back to that, doing exactly what they did last time despite it being dreadfully unpopular in the city.

"I expect pure dogma from them, it's a pathetic paper - they have no ideas for generating income."

The council expects to deliver a balanced budget for the next three years, before the significant gap opens up.