TEIGNBRIDGE Council has promised it will do all it can to minimise the effect of the government's spending cuts. Wednesday's long but tentatively awaited Government Comprehensive Spending Review saw a 19 per cent average cut to departmental budgets – while more than 20 per cent was expected. The review, described by chancellor George Osborne as 'the day when Britain steps back from the brink, when we confront the bills from a decade of debt', includes £81billion in spending cuts during the next four years. From April the government is slashing by 7.1 per cent the money it gives to local councils. In Teignbridge the district authority has been paving the way in anticipation of Wednesday's announcements from the Commons and it plans to freeze council tax from April and delay the January VAT hike on council services.

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