MONEY should be saved on office space, communications, transport and agency recruitment, according to Redbridge Council staff.

The suggestions were among a list seen by councillors at a cabinet meeting in Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, last night.

Almost 1,200 staff responded to an invitation to suggest ways the council can reduce its costs.

Other suggestions included cutting back on catering, mobile phones, the role of the Mayor and area committees.

The council could bring more money in by charging for services, hiring out facilities and raising council tax, staff suggested.

A full report of the suggestions, including their feasibility, will go to cabinet in January.

The meeting also saw the latest suggestions in the Redbridge Conversation consultation, which has been a borough-wide drive to get residents to suggest ways of saving �25million.

More than 4,000 people have completed the online survey so far.

Council support and public engagement was top of the list of areas people think should be cut back on, followed by environment and regeneration and housing.

Respondents were able to shave the most money off social care - the department with the biggest budget - when they took part in the try-it-yourself survey, but on average responses were slightly short of the �25million required.