CUMBRIA County Council has approved its most severe cutbacks in public expenditure since World War II.

The 2011/12 budget was given the green light in Kendal today (Thursday) by the overwhelming majority of councillors.

Over the next year, the county council will save £33m, and by 2015 it could be spending up to £75m less a year than it currently does.

Despite the reduced budget, council tax will not rise, and a controversial on-street parking scheme has been scrapped. But losing £26.1m in Government grants, rising inflation, and the cost of implementing single status mean many services will have to change. The budget will see £480,000 taken from day centres for the elderly and £800,000 from fire services, plus 611 council jobs will go.

Leader Eddie Martin said: "I am pleased we have put the alleviation of poverty at the top of our agenda, but not just financial poverty.

"We must also address the poverty of ambition and the poverty of opportunity. We need to stimulate economic activity and be more business-friendly.

"It is going to be difficult in the immediate future but, I believe, it is possible to emerge from the crisis in which we find ourselves stronger, leaner and fitter."