Southend Council departments told to cut budgets by 15%

Southend Council bosses have been asked to cut every department's budget by 15%.

The councillor responsible for assets - Liberal Democrat Paul Collins - has told BBC Essex's Sonia Watson that he's confident that a range of cuts will avoid the risk of bankruptcy within three years.

He's told Sonia non-essential services will be under pressure, and job cuts cannot be ruled out.

BBC Essex also speaks to Jonathan Carr-West from Local Government Information Unit and Danielle Stone, a Labour Councillor in Northampton where the council there effectively went bankrupt twice back in 2018.