NEARLY £100 million has been slashed from Worcestershire County Council since 2011 - as bosses today admitted savings are becoming "harder to find".

The Conservative leadership at County Hall has insisted there can be no let-up in the pace to reform its services in the face of huge financial pressure.

But Councillor Adrian Hardman has fired the Government a warning by insisting making deeper cuts will become "more complex" if Chancellor George Osborne tightens his wallet further.

A new in-house report has revealed how since the 2011/12 financial year £96.8 million has been saved at the council, including around £30.5 million in the 2014/15 year, which ended in March.

Bosses are already sitting on established plans to shed another £62 million from spending by 2018/19, but based on existing predictions another £41.2 million needs to be identified over the next four years - notwithstanding Mr Osborne's July budget.

The staggering sums are record figures at the authority, with Councillor Hardman addressing the challenges during a cabinet meeting today.

Over the last year staff have worked furiously to end 2014/15 with a balanced budget of around £332 million.

Councillor Hardman said: "Savings are becoming more harder to find and more complex, so looking ahead we've got more work to do to make sure its in a steady state."

He called it "a significant achievement" to get the budget where it is today and said there would be no let-up.

"It's worth reminding ourselves that £96.8 million of savings have been delivered since 2011/12," he said.

"We will continue this approach and be proactive to change while listening to the opinions, concerns and views of the general public."

Councillor Simon Geraghty, deputy leader and cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure, said more cuts would be "harder to find", adding "there's a lot done but more do to".

"Nearly £100 million of savings have been identified since 2011/13, £30 million in the last financial year but we know there's a lot more to do," he said.

"There must be no let up in the pace of reform, that's the key message I'd want to go out from this meeting."

During the debate opposition Labour group leader Councillor Peter McDonald called it "laughable", saying it would be hard to stomach any more cuts with "a chief executive on a six-figure salary".

Councillor John Campion, cabinet member for children and families, said: "The alternative (to reform) just isn't imaginable in our eyes, if we hadn't embarked on this imaginative journey or reforming our services our gaping hole wouldn't just be a hole, it'd be a chasm."

The authority is aiming to hand up to 85 per cent of services to outside providers within four years, including around 1,500 in-house job losses, with the hope as many roles as possible will be transferred to new employers.

Until now only around 60 per cent of services and functions were provided by third parties.

One year ago we revealed how a new operating model was approved, signalling the start of a journey to radically change the way the authority works in the coming years.

During today’s meeting the project to revamp Worcester’s Timberdine Nursing Unit was also discussed, with the plans being improved so the scheme costs £760,000, an extra £140,000.

In 2014/15 the council spent £16.9 million on improving highways infrastructure, including £2.9 million on potholes, making it the most significant capital investment.

Some £6.3 million of taxpayers’ cash funded the ongoing A4440 Southern Link Road revamp, £3.5 million was sunk into Malvern Hills Science Park, £2.6 million went on Worcestershire Parkway planned for Norton and £1.5 million was earmarked for the Hoo Brook Link Road in Kidderminster in the last financial year.

To see the report which went to the cabinet, click here.