PLAYERS from Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club have had their say on how Redbridge Council can save £25 million.

Daggers players took a break from training to support the council's Redbridge Conversation 2010 and complete the online survey, YouChoose.

Goal poacher Gavin Tomlin said: “I would protect services for the people who need them, other things like litter and cleaning we could be doing more to help as a community instead of having to pay for it.

"It’s difficult because some services are going to lose out, but people should complete it or their views won’t be heard.”

Darren Currie, midfielder with the League One club, said: “It was pretty straight forward and easy to follow.

"If everyone completes it and it has a bearing on the decisions made then it’s a good thing. It will be interesting to hear the public’s opinion."

Redbridge Conversation 2010 is a public consultation which lets residents see how much the council spends on services and suggest ways to make savings of at least £25 million from the council's budget.

The Government is considering reducing public spending over the next four years which means councils will have to cut their spending while trying to protect frontline services as far as possible.

About 65 per cent of the authority's budget comes from the Government and some of the areas targeted for spending reductions could be closing certain public toilets in the borough as well as scrapping lollipop patrols.

Other options include reducing services, increasing the money raised from charges, reducing pay or axing staff.

Anyone with a computer or access to the internet can take part in Redbridge Conversation by completing YouChoose.

The consultation, which is costing £30,000 to publicise, closes at the end of October and the results will be analysed by YouGov - the online polling company - before the 2011 budget is announced in March.

Visit www.redbridge.gov.uk/conversation to complete YouChoose or call 020 8708 3367 if you cannot access the internet.