A CONSERVATIVE council leader has criticised Government cuts in spending grants, saying they were much harsher than expected.

South Oxfordshire District Council’s Ann Ducker said she was “bitterly disappointed” by a 16 per cent cut as ministers previously said the average cut would be seven per cent.

The council said the settlement is “much tougher than expected” and would give it £6m to spend next year instead of the £7.1m hoped for.

Mrs Ducker said: “South Oxfordshire has been a very prudent council and has led the way in delivering efficiency savings over the past three years.”

She said sharing services with neighbouring Vale of White Horse District Council had “drastically reduced” management costs.

She said: “We will continue to look for economies of scale so that public services won’t suffer.”

And the Liberal Democrat-controlled Vale of White Horse District Council warned it would be hit by a 16 per cent cut from £6.6m to £5.6m.

Leader Tony De Vere said the cut was “much greater than we were led to believe”.

He said: “There is a limit to what can be achieved before we have to review the level of services we provide.”

Yet West Oxfordshire District Council, home to David Cameron’s constituency, said its 14 per cent cut next year “isn’t a disastrous picture”.

It will lose £775,000 this year and another cut of £525,000 the following year.

Councillor Simon Hoare, cabinet member for finance, said: “It’s a challenging time, but then it’s a challenging time for the whole of the public sector – and for the private sector.”

There would “absolutely no difference” in services next year and the council would “take stock” after that, he said.

He pledged to share staff with neighbouring Costwold District Council to save cash.

The council could draw on its £7.9m reserves to avoid a “slash and burn approach” he said.

Last week, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council and Cherwell District Council said the cuts were broadly in line with what they expected.