THE arts and community services are to suffer 7.3 per cent funding cuts in Poole as the council seeks savings.

Borough of Poole has announced a further £600,000 cuts in the budget for community services, which covers libraries, arts, adult learning, housing and community safety.

Hard hit will be grants to Lighthouse and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Archives Service jointly operated with Bournemouth and Dorset councils will also receive less funding.

A report before the communities overview and scrutiny committee sets out a proposed net saving of £595,000 on the existing £7.6million budget.

Libraries, the mobile library service and spending on library stock has been safeguarded and there will be no change to opening hours or Poole Museum.

The proposed budget includes an £88,000 investment in services to protect and help victims of anti-social behaviour and domestic violence and £16,100 towards funding a new service to support victims of rape and sexual assault.

The council proposes to continue with its current level of funding for Poole Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Poole Council for Voluntary Service. However, many other groups will receive smaller grants.

“We are facing immense pressures on council budgets with cuts of more than 14 per cent in government grant funding for next year,” said Cllr Elaine Atkinson, leader of the council.

“We are aiming to focus our support towards the most vulnerable members of our community while still managing to retain funding for other areas such as the arts, which some councils have been forced to cut altogether.

“In particular, we appreciate the vital community role performed by our libraries. Despite the cuts in government funding, we will retain all 10 libraries without any reduction in opening hours for the public, as well as the mobile library which provides such a vital service.”

Budget proposals for council services will go to cabinet and full council in February.