Council to cut services rather than hit public

Cork County Council will prune its own services next year rather than raise money from increased charges to businesses and householders.

County manager Martin Riordan said the public would find it difficult to pay increased charges so sought to reduce expenditure across the board, bar in vital services, to balance the council’s budget for 2013.

The council’s expenditure for next year will be €286m, down from €360m in 2008.