SLASHING the amount Devon County Council gets to spend on services by around £12 million represents a 'bargain' according to Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles.
The authority will have a total of £570 million to spend in the coming year – a fall of 2.1 per cent – which equates to £1,625 per household, according to Whitehall figures.
The Government published its own "spending power" measure, which bundled together all funding including council tax raised locally, along with money for freezing the charge this year, NHS funding for social care, and cash for building new homes.
It is set to raise concerns over transparency surrounding the settlement, and that the spending cuts are actually deeper than the data suggests.
Devon and Cornwall police, which has its headquarters at Middlemoor, will also see its central government funding cut by 1.6 per cent, which is likely to spark concern over the impact on frontline policing.
It means the force will receive a total of £184.5 million in the coming year.
But according to the figures, Exeter City council's "spending power" is set to go up in the coming year by 2.3 per cent to £16 million - £305 per household; and in Mid Devon by 1.1 per cent to £10.8 million - £316 per household.
However, East Devon will see its spending curbed by 1.2 per cent to £14 million - £220 per household, and Teignbridge by 1.1 per cent to £16.3 million - £280 per household.
The Secretary of State said the funding settlement, which saw an average 1.7 per cent cut to councils in England, was a 'bargain'.
Mr Pickles said: "This settlement recognises the responsibility of local government to fund sensible savings and make better use of resources."
But his Labour opposite number Hilary Benn said: "It is clear that he is living in a world of his own, because he simply does not understand the impact that his decisions on funding are having on the services and local people who use and rely upon them."
It came as the Department for Communities published 50 examples of where it believed councils could save money, including procurement, opening a coffee shop in libraries, and stopping having mineral water at meetings.
Devon council leader John Hart said: "I'm glad to see that Eric Pickles is picking up on many of the ways that Devon County Council is already saving money and operating in a more efficient and businesslike fashion.
"We've slimmed down our senior and middle management and cut costs. We've set a target of reducing our property holdings by a third and managing our offices more efficiently. Our staff canteen isn't subsidised and has to pay its way. County Hall is let for weddings and other functions.
"We've worked with district councils and the fire service on joint communications. In so many ways we're ahead of the game on his 50 suggestions to cut costs and I'd be happy to share how we've done it with other council leaders - particularly those in the South East who are planning on hiking their council tax next year."
