UP TO 30 staff are set to lose their jobs in the most severe cutbacks in the history of Southampton City Council.

As the Labour-led executive battles to bridge the massive £22 million revenue and capital overspend predicted for next year, the harshest hit-list of emergency measures has been drawn up.

The Daily Echo can today reveal where the axe will fall as leisure bosses battle to make savings of £900,000.

It has emerged that:

* A whole section of staff dealing with arts and heritage will be scrapped - with the loss of seven full-time staff. Savings - £269,000.

* Southampton Water-based Activity Centre (SWAC) on the River Itchen will close along with the Woodmill outdoor activity centre - with the loss of 11 full-time posts. Savings - £189,000.

* God's House Tower Museum will shut - with the probable loss of jobs.

* Community archaeology will have to make cutbacks. Savings - £40,000.

* The grant to The Gantry arts centre will be cut. Savings - £20,000.

* The grant to the Nuffield Theatre will be cut. Savings - £72,000.

Leisure executive member Counci-llor Derek Burke confirmed these were the cutbacks currently being proposed by the Labour group.

"We have drawn up these proposals ahead of the budget-setting meeting. We are still investigating the possibility of setting up trusts and private/ public partnerships to safeguard services and jobs," he said.

Education is also looking for savings of £1 million, although no jobs are expected to go.

A critical grant to the Eastpoint Centre - which is due to play a pivotal role in the £50 million New Deal scheme on the Thornhill estate - is also set to be cut by £50,000.

If this goes ahead, up to five members of staff will lose their jobs and the centre will be forced to close at weekends meaning no weddings or parties can be held at the venue.