INVERCLYDE residents support plans to cut the numbers of community wardens and bring an end to free swimming for under 16s, according to results of a budget survey.

As part of their financial planning for next year, Inverclyde Council consulted on a raft of saving proposals to plug the £2.4 million funding gap.

The respondents also wanted to see subsidies that make sport for youngsters more affordable cut but backed plans to spend more on community centres.

But any plans to cut health and social care services for the most vulnerable in the community were unpopular.

With regards to free swimming for the under 16s, 64 per cent of people backed plans to save £100,000 by limiting free use of the area's three pools to holiday periods. At the same time 68 per cent backed a new £1 charge for youngsters.

Free swimming was introduced as a way of encouraging children to get active and learn a lifesaving skill.

Overall the most popular cut would be to end the publication of the council's magazine, InView, which was backed by 75 per cent of survey respondents.

Support for cutting community wardens came from 53 per cent, who backed a reduction by eight employees to save £211,000.

Community wardens work to reduce anti social behaviour on Inverclyde streets and to protect the public.

Sixty three per cent of people would happily reduce funding to Inverclyde Leisure and 51 per cent were supportive of reducing the under-19s grants to local sports clubs.

This is a subsidy used by youth football teams and other organisations to increase opportunities in sport.

A total of 44 per cent of people backed ending free fruit in schools and reducing library services was supported by 43 per cent.

There was very limited support for reducing support workers for the most vulnerable and care placements for the elderly.

Twenty per cent of those who took part were also happy for teaching staff in schools to be reduced and classroom assistants - at a time when education chiefs are trying to increase literacy and numeracy levels in schools.

In terms of other charges, there was support for increasing charities’ waste charges to put them on a level with other local businesses.

Around 800 people responded to the budget consultation, 42 per cent down on last year.

The budget consultation proposals centred around three main areas - education and communities, environment and regeneration and health and social care.

There were also questions on charge increases and council tax.

Fifty eight per cent of those taking part also accepted council tax would have to rise but only a quarter were happy with three per cent, compared with 48 per cent three years ago.

The majority of people who responded were in employment and of working age.