Updated
Newcastle Greens councillor Michael Osborne says he is hoping a series of community workshops to discuss council's budget will examine efficiency improvements not just service cuts.
Two workshops will be held today and tomorrow to examine council efforts to find $19 million in savings, including proposals to cut staff and close community swimming pools.
Council's interim general manager Ken Gouldthorp has indicated, unless savings are found, council will become insolvent in 2017.
Councillor Osborne says the community needs to be given all the options.
"Tough decisions will need to be made, but I hope they're smart decisions as well," he said.
"That it's not just about cutting services, that it is about doing things smarter and better and more efficiently.
"I hope the staff do bring along smarter ways of doing things, rather than just simply cuts to services.
"I think the community deserves to have all the information on the table and to be able to give their feedback on how they think council can do things smarter."
Councillor Osborne is urging ratepayers, who are concerned about potential cuts to services, to attend the workshops.
"Well I think the bottom line is that any proposal that cuts staff or gets rid of facilities means that the community has less facilities and less services provided by council," he said.
"Anyone who is concerned about the reduction of service by Newcastle Council should get along to these workshops."
The workshops will be held this afternoon from 2:00pm (AEDT) to 4:00pm at Wallsend Library, and tomorrow night from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Fort Scratchley.
Topics: local-government, community-and-society, newcastle-2300
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