THE public is being asked to have their say on council budget proposals at a roadshow event in Ammanford.

Residents are being urged to attend the event, where they can speak to local authority officers and councillors about the proposals to address cuts of around £44million over the next three years.

The council is looking at “all options” for reducing its spending with the likelihood of decisions affecting dozens of services and jobs.

A spokesman for Carmarthenshire County Council said that senior officers had already identified millions of pounds in operational savings, but councillors were now having to make choices that would affect the delivery of front-line services to find the rest of the money needed.

The process started with a members’ seminar, and all of the Council’s scrutiny committees are to discuss the budget at meetings over the coming months.

Consultation with the public and with partners is also being carried out, including roadshows – which are taking place in various towns across the county - and online at iLocal.carmarthenshire.gov.uk

A number of options have been put forward, including proposals to discontinue some services altogether. Others will see changes to how some services are provided.

Council Leader, Councillor Kevin Madge said: “There is no doubt it will have a grave effect on the services we deliver, on the people who work for us and on the county as a whole.

“We appreciate that none of the choices we have to make will be popular, but we hope people understand that we have cut back as far as possible in recent years and made every attempt possible not to affect front-line services.

“What we are asking now is that the people of Carmarthenshire let us know what their needs and priorities are, through this consultation process, to help inform the tough decisions ahead of us.”

The roadshow is set to take place at Ammanford’s outdoor market on Friday, December 5, from 10am until 2pm.