PLANS to develop a sports hall in the heart of Malvern could be postponed under moves to tackle financial problems at Malvern Hills District Council.

Councillors are preparing to make a series of decisions on services, jobs and Council Tax, aimed at reducing costs by around £1 million and returning to a balanced budget over the next two years.

The Council has also issued notices to 76 staff, informing them that their jobs are under consideration,

Detailed proposals will be discussed at its Executive Board on Tuesday and then presented to full council on November 29.

The Council has already indicted that it will be seeking a Council Tax rise and its finance spokesman, Coun Paul Cumming, said the board would be looking at a potential figure next week.

But he added that it had taken steps in-house to reduce costs and had identified savings.

"We have looked at all areas of Council services," he said, "A lot of what we have found to save are actually efficiencies, we have tried to minimise the effects on services."

Coun Cumming confirmed the Council would also be looking to make a number of compulsory redundancies, for the second time in two years.

But he said the high number of notices reflected the extent of the review rather than the number of actual job losses.

"The actual number, at the end of the day, of compulsory redundancies, you are probably talking less than 10 per cent of those at risk but we are still looking at it.

"They vast majority of those notices are expected to be withdrawn after the Executive Board on Tuesday."

The Council is also considering the future of the Sports Hall project.

It has £1.3 million set aside to fund the scheme, money which came from the sale of its council houses.Providing a sports facility for Malvern with the money has always been a key pledge.

Planning permission has been granted for the sports hall on a site in Priory Road linked to the Splash.

Splash operators SLM have agreed to contribute £500,000 to the scheme but the total £1.8m funds proved inadequate by £500,000 when the actual tenders came in during the summer.

Under arrangements being considered by the Council, its £1.3m would be set aside for a sports facility project and the interest used to help with its budget difficulties.

That would allow the Council time to look at making a Lottery application to secure more funds.

PLANS to develop a sports hall in the heart of Malvern could be postponed under moves to tackle financial problems at Malvern Hills District Council.

Councillors are preparing to make a series of decisions on services, jobs and Council Tax, aimed at reducing costs by around £1 million and returning to a balanced budget over the next two years.

The Council has also issued notices to 76 staff, informing them that their jobs are under consideration,

Detailed proposals will be discussed at its Executive Board on Tuesday and then presented to full council on November 29.

The Council has already indicted that it will be seeking a Council Tax rise and its finance spokesman, Coun Paul Cumming, said the board would be looking at a potential figure next week.

But he added that it had taken steps in-house to reduce costs and had identified savings.

"We have looked at all areas of Council services," he said, "A lot of what we have found to save are actually efficiencies, we have tried to minimise the effects on services."

Coun Cumming confirmed the Council would also be looking to make a number of compulsory redundancies, for the second time in two years.

But he said the high number of notices reflected the extent of the review rather than the number of actual job losses.

"The actual number, at the end of the day, of compulsory redundancies, you are probably talking less than 10 per cent of those at risk but we are still looking at it.

"They vast majority of those notices are expected to be withdrawn after the Executive Board on Tuesday."

The Council is also considering the future of the Sports Hall project.

It has £1.3 million set aside to fund the scheme, money which came from the sale of its council houses.Providing a sports facility for Malvern with the money has always been a key pledge.

Planning permission has been granted for the sports hall on a site in Priory Road linked to the Splash.

Splash operators SLM have agreed to contribute £500,000 to the scheme but the total £1.8m funds proved inadequate by £500,000 when the actual tenders came in during the summer.

Under arrangements being considered by the Council, its £1.3m would be set aside for a sports facility project and the interest used to help with its budget difficulties.

That would allow the Council time to look at making a Lottery application to secure more funds.