Sports pitches, festivals, and town centre events could all be hit by huge government cuts inflicted on Gravesham council’s budget, as it battles to find savings of £10,000 a day.

Having already seen its government support grants of £2.54 million slashed to just £1.2 million this year, they will be almost halved in 2017 and 2018 before being completely halted in April 2019.

Now Gravesham council is considering how to make massive savings as part of a 32-month full service review.

First to be considered for cuts are the council’s economic development and public health departments, which could see the axe fall on leisure facilities, tourism, town centre management and events.

It means popular hallmarks of Gravesend, including the likes of the Riverside Festival and St George’s Day celebrations, may have to rely on other sources of funding if they are to survive.

Such events cost the council £84,830 a year, with sports and leisure facilities, excluding leisure centres, costing £198,000. A further £195,000 is spent on tourism — second only to Canterbury in the whole of Kent.

The council will begin to decide the future of these services at a cabinet meeting on October 10, with other departments to know their fate by next summer, including the popular Woodville theatre.

Measures have already been taken to close part of the funding gap over the next few years, with £400,000 coming from recent property purchases, £270,000 in fees and charges, and another £240,000 from combining office services with other councils, but it still leaves £1.43 million to come from changes to frontline services — that’s £10,000 per working day.

Council leader Cllr John Cubitt (Con) admitted that the cuts made for grim reading. “This presents a series of difficult choices and Cabinet members have to prioritise which options to take in each case whether that is ceasing a service altogether, working in new partnerships or trimming some aspects,” he said.

"The status quo is not an option" Council leader John Cubitt

“But make no mistake, either savings or increased income, have to be achieved. Where there is a need to consult with stakeholders we will carry out consultations in due course.

“Members will have to determine which items we can afford to continue but the status quo is not an option. There will be a continuous appraisal of the financial situation as it develops.”

The second set of services to be reviewed includes parking and amenities, revenues and benefits, and regulatory services such as dog wardens and community safety.

After that, planning, regeneration, customer and theatre services and the council’s maintenance and repairs workforce will all be considered.