IT was low key, to say the least.

Over in a matter of 20 minutes, £18 million of cuts were yesterday given the green light by Bolton Council’s decision-making body, as the Labour executive considered next year’s budget.

The cuts, £60 million over two years, brought about by a dramatic reduction in the money the council receives from central government, amount to 833 jobs.

Other significant changes will be the closure of five libraries, a process already well under way. The budget also confirms what has already been widely reported — a council tax freeze.

The fireworks will no doubt come at next week’s meeting of the full council when the budget is expected to be formally approved.

Yesterday, however, Cllr John Walsh, leader of the Conservatives in Bolton, praised the council’s finance bosses for the decision on council tax.

He said: “We welcome the fact that you have followed the Government line on a zero per cent increase.”

The majority of cuts, such as changes to the library service, have already been put in place, after the council drafted a two-year plan last year to achieve a total of £60 million savings.

The council will now look towards 2013/14 and 2014/15. The budget report states that another £35 million savings will need to be found over those following two years.

As reported in The Bolton News last week, that could amount to a further 1,000 job losses at the local authority.

Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “This has not been easy.”