RESIDENTS are being urged to attend an important meeting in Okehampton later this month which could help determine the shape of public service spending in the future.

Devon County Council has warned that some 'tough choices' will have to be made in the next few years as millions of pounds will be slashed from Devon's public services to comply with Government targets to reduce the national debt.

County council leader John Hart will be asking the public their ideas on how monies can be saved by the county to comply with the Government's comprehensive spending review — Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne ordered almost 20% would be cut from the national budget for local government in cash terms over the next four years.

The county council 's 'Tough Choices' campaign will see Mr Hart host a series of public meetings across Devon to spell out the difficult decisions the authority faces.

The people of Okehampton will have the chance to put their opinions forward on November 25 in the Charter Hall.

Mr Hart said: 'We want everyone to have the opportunity to join this debate. The views, ideas and opinions of our residents matter because they pay for the services we provide and make use of our schools, care for the elderly, roads, libraries and the many other things we do.'

People attending the public meeting at Okehampton, which starts at 6.30pm, will be invited to play a special Devon board game, based on 'Monopoly' , with a breakdown of every penny the county spends on the various services for residents.

They will be asked to reduce the total amount spent by a specific percentage.

Councillors and officials will be on hand to explain the implications of each suggested cut and what happens if some areas are safeguarded and bigger reductions made in others.

Mr Hart said the county council had already saved £30-million over the past two years. A jobs freeze had been imposed on all but essential front-line staff, the council's departments had been streamlined, councillors' allowances frozen and all workers were subject to the national pay freeze.

In the ten months up to August 2010, 970 staff have left the authority and in a full financial year the reduction of staff will save around £6.3-million.

As the county council works towards setting a budget for 2011/12 such public meetings will give people the chance to see the kind of tough choices councillors will face.

Mr Hart added: 'We are not attempting to abdicate the duties we were elected to fulfil. Ultimately we will take the tough decisions.

'But we want to spell out to as many people as possible what the options are, hear their views on what services we should safeguard and where they think we might make savings and how we could improve the way we work locally.'

Christine Marsh, the chairman of Devon County Council and Okehampton town and borough councillor, urged people to come to the meeting and help the county determine its reaction to the economic constraints.

She told the Times: 'One of the biggest gripes is that the council won't listen, so this is an important opportunity for people to come and meet the leader of the county council and make their suggestions.

'As a county we are going to have to make cuts of £50-million in the first year, £25-million in the second and a further £25-million in the third.

'We are saying to the people of Devon this is what we deliver in terms of services, where do you think we can make those cuts?'

Mrs Marsh dismissed suggestions the event was merely a PR exercise where public suggestions would be ignored and the county council do as it thinks fit: 'This is the first time Mr Hart, as leader of the council, has come to Okehampton and he is very much here to listen. These cuts are right across the board, from social services, education, school transport, special needs, everything — it affects everyone.'

Okehampton Chamber of Trade chairman Ian Bailey said his personal view was that money could be saved by reducing the hours of street lighting, particularly on motorways, and immediately scrapping the parking meter idea and using dotted yellow lines instead, which were inexpensive in comparison.

'There will be services like libraries which may have to be curtailed a little, which will go against lots of people's interests, but it may be necessary to protect frontline services such as the police,' he said.