PROPOSALS to scrap the county's physical activity strategy budget in the latest round of Dorset County Council cost-cutting have been labelled 'horrific'.

The council is considering scrapping the budget of almost £43,000 and making two staff redundant.

The change may also mean reducing or stopping activities for disabled children, adults and people with learning difficulties.

A report set to go before members of DCC’s adult and community services overview committee on Wednesday states there are ‘no easy ways to make the savings required’ for the authority.

The county council as a whole has already achieved savings of £60million in recent years, but has £43m still to find by 2016/2017.

The report added: “Reductions of this size require a change of approach to services to achieve good outcomes for people and communities.

“Maintaining the status quo is not an option.”

Cllr Paul Kimber said he will be speaking against the proposal at Wednesday’s meeting.

He added: “The proposal to cut this budget fills me with horror. It’s horrific that we are faced with making cuts affecting events for children or adults with learning difficulties.

“These are exactly the type of services we have got to keep going.”

The work of the physical activity strategy team includes work for physically disabled children and adults, people with learning difficulties and older people using day centres.

Services are provided to a range of organisations and communities in Dorset.

In the report it is proposed that the physical activity strategy revenue of £42,900 is “reduced to nil”’ and “taken as a saving” to meet approved budgets – and that the “two team posts” are made redundant.

The news follows councillors approving a new physical activity strategy for Dorset in March, after research showed the county “lags behind regional and national averages” in sport participation.

In 2009 to 2010, public agencies in Dorset spent an estimated £8m treating people with diseases associated with physical inactivity.

County councillor Kate Wheller, a member of the adult and community services overview committee, said: “This proposal is something I have been very concerned about, but with the government cuts that are being forced upon us we have to look at ways of saving money.

“If we have to remove the physical activity strategy budget then I would want to look at how we provide the same service in a different way.”

A final decision can only be made after the closure of the consultation period on Wednesday and after any counter proposals or comments have been considered.