WEST Somerset District Council is just about managing to balance its books by off-setting savings against cost increases.

Undertaking the quarterly review of the authority's three year plan, cabinet members were told on Monday that savings had been made in pension costs, legal contracts, severance costs, car parks, dog and pest control contracts, licencing and local land charges.

However, costs had increased for items including West Somerset First, unit costs, treasury management and benefits.

The biggest single increase was in cleaning costs, which had gone up by £30,000.

Councillors were told the authority had budgeted for a three per cent increase in the cost of the service but it had in fact gone up by seven-and-a-half per cent.

Finance portfolio holder Cllr Colin Hill said: "We are virtually on budget but we are going to have to look closely at our cleansing services."