PLANS to cut costs in Barnet have been described as “fast and furious” slashing of frontline services by the opposition leader.

Councillor Alison Moore has criticised the budget plans being bought before the cabinet next week, saying they will result in “ local people really feeling the pain immediately”.

The latest published plans show more than £50m in savings will have to be made in the next three years as cuts to government grants become clear.

Children's services and adult social services, two of the biggest departments, will be hardest hit locally, with cuts to museums, libraries and the ArtsDepot grant also mooted.

Cllr Moore said: “Budgets are about local choices and look at the choices they are making – the majority of cuts will fall on adults’ social care and children while millions of pounds continue to be spent on the discredited easyCouncil project.

“In the end all of Barnet will suffer from these cuts but it’s the vulnerable and those on lower incomes that will bear the brunt as vital frontline services are decimated and fees and charges are hiked up – we really have the worst of all worlds here.”