AMONG the proposals in this year's budget, Monmouthshire County Council cabinet wants to increase the cost of community meals from £2.10 to £3 to raise another £53,000.

The lifelong learning and leisure department is expected to make savings of £3million by job losses in school improvement services, performance management, leisure centres, museums and libraries.

Money (around £511,000) allocated by the Assembly to help schools meet junior class sizes of 30 is to go directly to the LEA.

But the deputy leader Cllr Graham Down warned that the budget is likely to cause severe difficulties for schools, especially with falling rolls or small surpluses.

Around £75,000 will be saved by discontinuing the prompt payment discount for early payment of council tax, and £40,000 by ending the 20 percent relief for charity shops.

In the environment department weekly refuse collections will continue, recycling will be developed, but the £100,000 proposed investment on better recycling facilities is to be dropped.

Members' allowances are to be frozen at £16,000 and the role of chairman is to be altered to make savings of £27,000.

£15,000 will be deducted from each of the four area budgets.