From office closures to turning off CCTV: Huge Cannock Chase cutbacks revealed in full

Members of the public now have the chance to have their say on the moves, which aim to save the council £1.6 million.

Cannock Chase District Council has repeatedly warned of its dire financial situation in the wake of Rugeley Power Station closing early taking more than £1 million a year in business rates with it.

Authority leader George Adamson has described it as the 'most difficult position ever'.

Now, following the launch of a public consultation the full list of potential cuts has been revealed. Four public meetings just to discuss the contentious proposals have also been pencilled for later this month.

• MORE: Anger at planned fee rises and CCTV shutdown in Cannock

The latest list of options includes axing CCTV to save £107,040 a year, closing the 'one-stop shop' reception desks in Hednesford and Rugeley to claw back £44,000 as well as axing senior posts such as the Environmental Health manager to save £87,000.

Car parking charges would increase – generating about £50,000 a year – for the first time in five years. Costs would increase by 10p an hour.

The authority would also take back control of its outsourced parks services, saving a total of £16,000. That would mean there would be no permanent park staff at Cannock, Hednesford and Elmore Parks. But at least two staff would remain at Ravenhill Park in the summer because of its paddling pool.

Another £8,000 would be saved by the authority by outsourcing its cafe at the newly refurbished Pavilion in Hednesford Park.

The council is also looking to charge bus operators more for using its bus stations in Rugeley and Cannock. It currently collects about £40,000 a year and a proposal to increase charges by at least 10 per cent would mean an increase of £4,000.

The Citizens Advice Bureau could also lose over £50,000 of the £136,890 it receives from the district council every year - even though it saw demand for their help increase by a fifth in 2015.

At the other end of the scale the council could stop applying for Green Flag awards for its parks to generate another £1,000 while switching to second-class mail only would save another £8,000.

The Express & Star has previously reported that as part of the same process the authority has published other options to generate funds.

If proposals are accepted, burial costs would increase and all town centre floral displays would end.

Councillor Adamson said: "The council is facing the most difficult financial position ever.

"This is despite achieving £4.2m savings in recent years from partnerships with Stafford Borough Council, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and reductions in management and administration costs.

"The complete removal of Government grant funding by 2019, the loss of business rates from the closure of Rugeley Power Station and the probable loss of £400,000 from the New Homes Bonus scheme combined, means that the Council now has to make some difficult decisions to balance the books from the next financial year.

"I am determined that this process will be open, transparent and a genuine consultation on which options the Council should select. I encourage everybody to get involved in this consultation. It will give local people the chance to have their say in the future of Cannock Chase and the District Council and these public meetings are a vital part of this process."

All responses on the council's questionnaire and online must be given by November 6. Those results will go towards shaping the authority's draft budget, which will be delivered a month later. The chosen cuts will then be implemented next April.

The public meetings will be held on October 18 at Mansfield House, Market Street in Rugeley at 6.30pm; on October 19 at noon and at 6.30pm on October 20 in the Ballroom at the council's offices in Cannock; and at 6.30pm at The Aquarius in Hednesford on October 25.

Access the online consultation here.