POWYS County Council must meet again next week after failing to agree its budget at a crunch meeting.

Councillors debated for more than five and a half hours on Tuesday, February 25 before only agreeing to defer a decision on the budget, which must save £20 million, until next Wednesday, March 5. The authority has to find savings of £40 million over the next three years.

All 73 councillors are due back at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells on Wednesday to approve a proposed 3.95 per cent council tax increase, but must now also agree the council's 2014/15 budget as well - having rejected the cabinet's proposed budget and concessions it offered at Tuesday's meeting.

Among the amendments rejected were a plan that would have seen a 50 per cent cut to the Powys Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) reduced to 30 per cent this year before funding is withdrawn completely in 2015.

Several councillors said the CAB is a service that is needed in Powys and that the charity has warned it may be unable to continue, even if its cut was reduced to 30 per cent.

Labour group leader Councillor Sandra Davies had, after hours of debate and without agreement in sight, proposed a cross party committee to look at the budget proposals before calling councillors back for a second budget setting meeting.

It was then agreed the leaders of the council's six groups will hold talks, with cabinet members on hand to offer advice and answer questions, before the council meets again on March 5.

Council solicitor Clive Pinney warned councillors time is running out for them to set a budget. Councils are legally required to set a balanced budget and must do so by mid March.

Earlier in the meeting cabinet member, Cllr Graham Brown said a projected £87,000 saving, linked to the proposed closure of specialist Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Units, would be removed from the 2014/15 budget. It will be balanced by taking the figure from the reserves.

However the council is still consulting on closing the units and four pre school assessment centres at 18 Powys primary schools from September 1 this year.

Cllr Brown said the consultation had been 'sidelined' by savings linked to the closures being identified in the upcoming budget.

The council did agree to a cabinet proposal to scrap a proposed increase in charges for elderly people attending day centres, which would have increased from £6 a day to £36 a day.

Cabinet member for adult social services, Cllr Darren Mayor said the saving would now be found by reorganising day centres, but denied centres would close.

The council also rejected an alternative budget proposed by the Conservative group.

Ahead of the meeting a mass rally, attended by between 100 and 150 people, was staged outside County Hall.

Protesters waved placards and vociferously chanted anti-cuts chants.

Among those attending the demonstration was Helen Anthony of Llandrindod Wells who said she had come as 'these cuts are ridiculous'.

She added: "I'm not here for anything in particular. I'm here for the whole thing. It is important to Powys. The social care cuts to the elderly and disabled are worrying and the Citizens Advice Bureau is the first port of call for many people."

Rachel Hickey, also of Llandrindod, added: "These cuts affect everyone from young children in school to the elderly. We want the council to get fairer funding for Wales and people in Powys.

"We will be paying more council tax, and our taxes to the government, so the money is still going in yet they are cutting services.

"I would like the councillors to say no to the cuts and try and come up with more creative solutions that don't devastate children's education and put the elderly at risk."

Ahead of the meeting a 5,000 signature petition opposing cuts to the CAB service was handed to council chairman, Cllr John Brunt. He also received a petition from the HOOSUP (Hands of our specialist units Powys) campaign, which is opposed to the closure of the ALN units.

For a full report on the council's budget meeting get this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale now