Savage cuts, including closing a children's home and reducing places for old and disabled people in homes, have been drawn up by council officers trying to slash millions of pounds from their budgets.

But the cuts - which hit at the heart of essential services - are likely to get a rough passage at next Tuesday's executive committee.

Top officials are expected be told by Tory and Liberal Democrat councillors to end the culture of hacking services when times are hard and look at efficiency instead.

But there are still tough measures expected to be approved on Tuesday, including the proposed closure of St Margaret's Avenue children's home in Bradford; cuts in car allowances and efficiency savings in theatres.

The dog warden service will have to boost its income, and regeneration programmes could be delayed.

The Telegraph & Argus can reveal that recommendations by officers to next week's executive committee include:

l charges to schools by the local education authority for the supply of teaching cover, to bring savings of £37,000;

l a £100,000 cut in cleansing services - just as the city bids to become Europe's culture capital;

l a freeze on recruitment, resulting in the possible closure of clubs like Bierley youth action project, Idle YMCA, Keighley Asian boys' and young mens' club and Bowling youth club.

l a reduction in the health initiatives budget.

But other controversial proposals are still on the cards to meet a budget set by former leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, last March. The spending plan required savings of £15.7 million over the next three years, with £4.7 million to be saved in the current year.

But if plans are kicked out by councillors there will be a shortfall of £791,0000 which will have to be met from elsewhere.

Directorates would have to find ways of earning income and staffing would be frozen at essential levels.

Today, Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton and Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said they had common concerns about some of the proposals which would be put to their groups.

Coun Eaton said: "The culture in the council is to make cuts to frontline services. It means council tax payers are being charged more and more for less."

The cuts are necessary to redirect more funding to school budgets over the next three years, replace £2.8 million taken from the reserves last March to keep council tax down, and foot a £10 million bill for the beleaguered schools' reorganisation.