THE leader of Worcestershire County Council's Labour group says he fears the days of "high quality services" are over due to funding cuts.

Councillor Peter McDonald has taken a swipe at County Hall's Conservative leadership by saying it is massaging over the impact of spending reductions.

He has also claimed roads and pavements across Worcestershire need "£40 million" spent on them to bring the standards up to a good level.

The criticism has been refuted by the authority's leader Councillor Simon Geraghty, who says "firm resources" are being sunk into services where the public want to see action.

A vote on the 2017/18 budget plans is taking place next month which includes an extra £6 million on footways and £6 million to ease congestion by upgrading key pinch-points.

But the budget also includes a council tax rise of 2.9 per cent and £29 million of spending reductions, although areas like children's social care will see more funding once again.

Councillor McDonald used a debate during a full council meeting to criticise a report detailing some of the key investments.

"It says the council is delivering 'high quality services' but surely that is not true," he said.

"This council is not delivering high quality services, if so why have we been cutting back on youth services, why have we been cutting back on services for the elderly, why have we been cutting back elsewhere.

"Is the leader (of the council) in another world?"

Councillor Geraghty said: "I'm proud of the way we've faced the challenges and dealt with them - despite the financial challenges services have held up well.

"More money has gone into some service areas than at any time for the last three decades.

"What our plans are about now is change and reform, so we can provide the type of services people expect."

Councillor McDonald then said there was a "shortfall" for roads and pavements, adding: "I'd suggest that's about £40 million".

The leader told him the forthcoming budget would not be "a silver bullet" for any service area, but added that the major investments lined up are direct responses to public feedback.

"This is a response to what our residents, the customers, have said in terms of what needs improving," he said.

"What this administration is doing is backing that public feedback with firm resources."