Funding for tourism in a town could be slashed in a bid to avoid massive council tax rises.

Members of Eastbourne Borough Council propose to take £600,000 out of budgets for tourism, theatre, parks and gardens.

More than £3 million a year is spent on running the town's four theatres, tourist information service and maintaining parks and gardens.

The decision has been criticised by Tory opposition leader councillor Graham Marsden.

He said: "What is really needed is a restructuring of the council. The council's employment bill is something like 25 per cent of its annual budget.

"We said this in the election. There needs to be a look at the way the council manages its business.

"There might be job losses from savings but we need to look at how the council is run."

Cabinet members met yesterday and agreed to throw the debate open to Eastbourne residents.

Town bosses say the pressure to reduce spending has been made worse by the Government's decision to redirect funding from councils in the South-East to the North.

They hope to make total savings of £720,000 and create an income of £525,000, generating savings of more than £3 million over the next five years.

Cuts of £200,000 for theatre funding would be based on a best-value report completed two years ago and, if agreed, could mean a reduction in front-of-house hosting.

Every year, £1.2 million is spent on the tourism budget and members propose to shave £200,000 from this.

Cuts could include a reduction in opening times for the tourist information centre, less money spent on advertising the town and the installation of a premium rate information phone line.

The museum in the Redoubt Fortress could also close.

The parks and gardens budget of almost £1m would also have £200,000 saved by finding sponsorship for hanging baskets, reducing the amount of grass cutting and the number of flower beds needing tending.

A final decision on council spending will take place after consultation is completed in the next few months.

Council bosses plan to give priority to creating jobs, social inclusion, crime prevention, reducing waste, improving core services and providing decent and low-cost homes.

Councillor David Tutt, deputy leader of the council, said the recent introduction of a costly waste removal service had already pushed council tax up by 38 per cent and the council was unwilling to increase the bill by any more.

Coun Tutt said: "If we have to make reductions in the expenditure, we will be guided by the people of Eastbourne.

"If they say not to make the cuts and increase council tax then we will listen to them."