SEVENTY jobs are to go as Monmouthshire County Council budget to keep their council tax rise down to 3.4 percent.

The shock news was revealed by Cllr Graham Down, deputy leader of the council as he defended claims that he was secretive about the report to be considered at today's cabinet meeting.

Cllr Verona Nelmes said she has reported Cllr Down to the Ombudsman for breaching the council's code of conduct in not releasing the report to members.

She said: "The papers were due to go out on Monday, and last Friday the corporate directors told staff at risk of losing their jobs. People in the street know more than the councillors. We know nothing because no information has been given."

But Cllr Down responded: "I offered leaders of all opposition groups a briefing for them and their members and not one of them took up that offer."

He said the 70 redundancies will be across a range of services and there will also be a reduction in some services.

It is known that leisure centre managers have been told they have to make savings of around £250,000 and this had led to fears of job losses in all four centres.

Cllr Phil Hobson, leader of the Liberal Democrats said he had tried to get a copy of the report.

He said: "Members of staff in leisure centres and museums were told the details of the budget last Friday. Opposition members have been kept in the dark and this is totally unacceptable."

Cllr Down said: "I had a meeting on Monday with the chief executive Colin Berg and corporate director Steve Greenslade because I had certain issues over the report so it could not go out with the minutes.

"I authorised them to brief unions, relevant staff and select committee chairmen about what is in the budget."

He said this is the toughest budget that Monmouthshire has ever faced, and following the lowest council tax rise last year of just under four percent, they hoped to keep this year's tax hike to 3.4 percent.

Cllr Down responded to criticism that he had taken sole responsibility for drawing up the budget.

He said: "I am the cabinet member with the portfolio for accounting and the budget. I have not been secretive about this year's budget because "I have attended 10 town and community councils meetings, briefed more than 20 local councils and the chambers of trade in Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth."