LEISURE chiefs in York are still looking at an £87,000 overspend on the council budget - despite "significant improvements".

The figures revealed by City of York Council show that workers managed to save £83,000 from the authority's leisure and heritage budget during the latter part of last year.

But councillors attending a leisure and heritage meeting on Monday will hear that despite those efforts - including extra income and expenditure savings of £154,000 - the department is still in the red.

A report prepared by officers reveals that the review of expenditure budgets and staff vacancies would continue in an effort to further cut the overspend on the £10,726,000 total budget before the new authority budget starts in April, but it conceded that although the stringent measures are having an effect "it may now be unlikely for any further significant reduction".

That means cut-backs and reviews of equipment, materials, travel, training and conference attendance are set to continue.

The report adds that provision is being made to address recurring overspends in April's budget, but officers have concerns about the cost of the council's Youth Service.

Some of that cost has come from additional repairs needed at some youth centres, such as Burnholme, Melbourne and Carr, because of vandalism.

The Fossbank skate park will need "additional funding" to be identified on an on-going basis if it is to continue.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "The projected overspend for the leisure and heritage budget this year is £87,000.

"This is significantly less than was originally identified and significant savings have been made by reviewing all non- essential expenditure and vacancies."

Updated: 10:26 Tuesday, February 03, 2004