TAXI drivers in Fareham may face the prospect of paying for their own licensing service as the council tries to shave £300,000 off its budget.

It is one aspect of the council's services which will come under the miscroscope at a meeting next week.

Councillors face huge difficulties in future years unless they can find the savings, they have been told.

But they are faced with trying to find the savings at a time of low interest rates and rising costs.

The Tory-led council also has to find up to another £158,000 to fund its CCTV programme.

This could save the council around £26,000 a year. But Fareham taxi drivers argue they get a poor deal already from the council.

"Our fees go towards paying for the costs of such things as taxi ranks but their service to us is already bad.'' said Tom Gane, chairman of Fareham Taxi Drivers' Association.

"We asked for two ranks outside Sainsbury's two and a half years ago. It was agreed, but they are still not there.

"If we paid more then our fares would have to go up and, to be fair, those councillors who use their own cars on council business get more in mileage than we do.''

Every aspect of council services is to be examined to save on the budget.

A report by the director of support services to next week's policy and resources committee meeting says: "The council's ability to achieve ongoing savings through innovative financing policies is very much reduced.

"The continual reduction in interest rates will also add to the budgetary pressures in 1999/2000 and future years.

"With government restrictions placing increased pressure on the council's budgets, it is clear that a difficult situation will have to be faced in future years unless ongoing savings can be identified.''

Housing, leisure, health and environment, planning and transportation, as well as policy and resources, depart-mental budgets and other areas of the council will come under scrutiny when the policy and resources committee meets next Tuesday.

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