Job losses and cuts to services are planned to help Harrow Council plug the £8million gap in its budget.

Despite having identified £16million in savings, the council’s budget needs to be squeezed further in order to reach its £24million target for 2013-15.

Under its proposals, the number of senior managers at the Civic Centre will be cut from 30 to 20, the number of support staff will be reduced and 59 people will be laid off as part of its Public Realm Integrated Services Model, the merger of on-street environmental services.

Despite reassurances that all children’s centres will remain open, the council also plans to get rid of a number of senior posts including a divisional director to save more than £500,000.

Harrow Council leader Thaya Idaikkadar said: “We’re cutting the expenses to the bone – all the flesh is gone and now we’re nipping into the bone marrow. But we will not let the quality of services suffer.”

Investments are still being made, including a £570,000 boost for social care in the borough. This will be used to provide new posts for practitioners and social workers.

As part of its savings plans, the authority is launching Fairer Grant for Harrow campaign. Currently Harrow receives £1,608 per person from central Government, whereas neighbouring Brent gets £3,317.

Council chief executive Michael Lockwood said: “Overall, Brent gets £400million per year than us. We want a fair deal, which we’re not getting at the moment.”

Other plans include introducing a Harrow Card to give residents discounts on parking and shopping, as well as a Harrow Help scheme to support the most vulnerable people hit by welfare reforms in the borough.

Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Sachin Shah says the council has not ruled out outsourcing more services if it means saving council tax payers money.

He said: “We’ll be looking at pest control and trade waste. If it’s making a loss or can’t cover its costs we will look to see if someone else can step in and provide the service.”

The council has also promised to retain weekly bin collections, to keep libraries and Harrow Arts Centre open, and ensure sports facilities remain available to the community.

Since 2010, the council has been challenged with making £62million in cuts from its budget. By April 2015, it hopes to have found savings of £75milllion.