Moray Council has agreed to meet with the workforce and trade unions over proposals to reduce the authority's lands and parks service.

The review, which will also include burial grounds, will save £510,000 a year from the Council's parks and countryside budget from April 2014.

The Council is having to make £24m of savings over the next three years, and has already reduced its ground maintenance budget by £100,000 for the current financial year.

The proposals agreed include:

• Closure of the Elgin nursery which raises summer bedding plants

• A restructure of the burial grounds service

• A reduction in the council's countryside ranger service

• A reduction in the development, maintenance and monitoring of the core paths and countryside footpath network

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• Removal of the Moray Training project

• An increase in burial ground charges to recover the costs of the service

• A reduction in maintenance standards of low amenity areas in consultation with local elected members and communities.

Councillors also agreed to review the management structure within the overall parks and countryside service.

Council Convener Councillor Stewart Cree said the proposed savings would help the council in balancing its budget.

He explained: "These proposals were developed by the cross-party group of Councillors which is reviewing all services provided by the council to match declining resources to a range of competing priorities.

"A strong theme emerging from the cross-party working group is that communities will need to take on greater responsibilities for services and their local environment.

"The savings agreed will reduce the annual cost of grounds maintenance by £510,000 and will include the council no longer providing or maintaining flowers and shrub beds. There will also be a reduction in the areas of grass the council will be able to cut or the frequency of cutting."

Community groups will be provided with details of the areas that the council proposes to continue to maintain. They will also be given the opportunity to make alternative proposals.

If community groups agree on alternative proposals that can be delivered for the same cost as the council suggestion, then the community proposal will be implemented, Councillor Cree added.

(JP/MH)