A RAFT of emergency savings, including hikes in cemetery fees and a cull in school crossing patrols, were set to be passed by Sefton council tonight.

The £16m package is the latest money-saving drive put forward to plug a huge hole in the authority’s finances.

A full council meeting at Southport town hall will be told a further £28m still has to be found to balance the books.

Council director Margaret Rawling told councillors: “The council continues to face a significant challenge which is made much greater by the fact that the council’s spending has already reduced by £64m in the last two years’ budgets.”

The list of savings likely to be passed, jeopardising a minimum of 60 jobs, include:

Raising the cost of burials and cremations by up to 25%, making the service the most expensive in the country;

Banning sports teams from using council pitches unless they fund the full costs of grounds maintenance;

Reviewing the schools crossing service, saving £40,000;

A £250k cut in the street cleaning budget, with resources centred on the areas with the greatest need;

Reduced hours and staffing at ‘One-Stop’ centres;

Charging for the previously free bulky items collection.

Mrs Rawling said: “The council has already achieved £64m of budget reduction in the preceding two years.

“At this end of the four-year period of the Government’s spending review, the council will have suffered the equivalent of over 40% reduction in its core budgets.

“This situation is set to continue and worsen over the coming years.”

The council also plans to close adult day care centres, accommodating vulnerable adults in leisure centres and libraries.

Seven libraries in the borough are also facing closure, and plans to switch off street lights are being considered.