PLANS to axe up to £31million of services in Southampton and hundreds of jobs at the city council is set to go out to consultation.

Labour council bosses are asking the public for their say on how they plan to meet the £31million budget gap for 2015/16.

As revealed in the Daily Echo last week, they have proposed putting up council tax by 1.99 per cent, axing 137 jobs - mainly in adult social care - and finding £9.9m of one-off funds to plug the black hole.

That is in addition to £8.1m of savings already put forward earlier in the year, that includes cutting a further 85 jobs.

However civic chiefs have to find another £4.3m before they set the budget in February. It will take effect from April.

Consultation has now begun on the scheme, with residents able to leave their comments online at www.southampton.gov.uk/currentonsultations or by picking up paper copies at council buildings, libraries and housing offices.

The deadline for consultation is January 21.

Another 80 jobs, the Woodside Care Home, Kentish Road respite centre and day services for adults with learning disabilities could also be axed next year, with council leaders set to discuss those proposals at another meeting next month.

Council deputy leader and resources boss Stephen Barnes-Andrews said: “The ongoing cuts to the funding we receive from Central Government leave us with no choice but to find more savings, however we remain committed to protecting vulnerable people and the city's public services.

“We are working hard to generate income, find internal and external efficiencies throughout the year and transform the way that we work, but if there is anything that people think we could be doing differently this is their chance to speak up.”