PROPOSALS which will hit a number of services used by Hampshire residents and could put hundreds of jobs at risk have moved a step closer.

Executive members at Hampshire County Council have agreed that the proposals which would allow the authority to save £80m by 2021 can now be discussed by cabinet members at a meeting set to take place this month.

More than 223 jobs could be lost, some care homes and libraries could be closed, residents could be charged for services that are currently free and council tax could be increased by four per cent as county bosses try to balance the books.

The proposals were discussed by several committees at the council recently.

Around £43.1m could come from changes and reductions in services provided by the adult social care and public health departments, with 120 jobs being at risk in the social care sector.

The proposals for the two departments were discussed by county councillors for hours and some members of the health and social care select committee said more details should be provided before the proposals would make any step forward.

Council officers stressed that the plans are a “direction of travel” and further details are yet to be determined.

But in an official document the county council said the cuts will challenge the department “like never before and it is inevitable that there will be impacts on frontline services”.

Among the plans councillors discussed were also proposals for street lights to be switched off for longer at night and a reduction in one-to-one or two-to-one support for people with a learning disability.