ANTI-cuts campaigners last night staged a protest against Tory plans to slash costs by a quarter at Southampton City Council.

The Southampton Anti- Cuts Union and Southampton Shop Stewards Network warned there was no way that the council could make an estimated £50m in savings over the next three years without a “devastating impact on jobs and service provision”.

Campaigner Nick Chaffey said: “Companies will be making profits out of reduced services while people carry on paying huge tax bills.”

Last night Conservative council leaders said the proposals to pay private companies or other organisation to run services such as waste collection and park keeping would also be open to bids from council staff to keep them in house.