Kirklees Council met on Wednesday to thrash out this year's annual budget as the authority looks to secure services in the wake of funding cuts over the next few years.

Before the meeting, dozens of Unison workers staged a protest outside Huddersfield Town Hall, angry at the council's plans to cut 20 per cent of its workforce.

Unison secretary Paul Holmes said: "If there are 20 per cent cuts in the work force there will be 20 per cent less services as well. This is just the beginning of our campaign."

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Inside the council chamber, Council leader Mehboob Khan (Lab) outlined the group's budget which includes a two per cent rise and investment in children's services and regeneration.

He said: "This budget has the correct balance of realism over resources and determination to make every pound count. It is delivered with a council tax rise that takes into account of the circumstances of Kirklees residents."

Coun Khan also said that the council would make Dewsbury one of its priorities over the coming year.

Conservative leader Coun Jim Dodds slammed the Labour proposals, calling them 'token gestures' and tabling his party's own amendments that would have seen council tax rise by only one per cent, with cuts coming elsewhere.

"The importance of our amendment lies in the detail," he said. "It is based upon placing more emphasis on delivery of services to those who rely on what the council does for them."

The Tory amendment was overwhelmingly rejected by the Labour, Lib Dem and Green groups.

Green and Lib-Dem amendments were accepted – despite strong opposition from the Tory group – and did not come at an extra cost to the tax payer.

Lib-Dem leader Kath Pinnock said: "We've made some significant proposals in our budget which help some of the more vulnerable in our communities and at the same time cutting carbon emissions."