JOBS, services, grants, offices and property are being lined up for the chop by Sedgemoor District Council in a drastic bid to close a £1.8million funding gap.

The authority's Executive has this week recommended a severe list of measures to help balance the books, which include slashing up to 50 positions and axing funding to town facilities.

Council bosses say the gap is down to Sedgemoor being forced to pay the price for more Central Government initiatives combined with its low council tax rises and commitment to keeping as many public services as possible.

Cuts suggested include transferring responsibility for Sydenham Community Centre to Bridgwater Town Council or another group, stopping grant funding to East Bridgwater Sports Centre and making up to 50 compulsory redundancies - half of which will come from "improving efficiency".

And one of the positions the Mercury understands will be scrapped is that of town centre manager, as the district authority looks to town councillors to take over its responsibility - saving £54,500 in the process.

Anne-Marie Spalding, who currently holds the role, said: "As it stands the town centre manager role has gone as a council function.

"They are talking to the town council to see want to recreate the post.

"I am sad to see it go, I think it's something the town has benefited from and could benefit from in the future."

Sedgemoor District Council says there will be two parts to the redundancy element, with the authority firstly looking at services it currently delivers and working out if it can strip people from departments while still retaining the same good standards.

But if the amount of redundancies are not enough to help balance the books the body could be forced to look at stopping some of the services it provides.

"This gap is a national picture mainly because we are not getting enough money to do the things we are asked to by Central Government," said council leader Cllr Duncan McGinty.

"We have a funding gap most years but in the past we have always managed to fill it.

"The two biggest elements here are the concessionary bus passes and the level of grant from the Government."