Conservative-controlled Cheshire East Council has voted to accept the 2011-2012 budget designed to save £11.42m over two years – at a potential cost of 500 jobs and cutbacks to some services.

The budget was passed at a meeting of the full council at Macclesfield Town Hall last week, despite opposition fears about changes in services for young people and the elderly, and complaints of a lack of detailed figures.

Coun Wesley Fitzgerald, pictured, said: "We are facing tough times but costs are well under control.

"I am pleased that this challenging but necessary budget has been adopted. It follows a lot of hard work and some tough decisions."

The pre-budget report includes a £10.1m investment in Adult Services, £0.1m extra for Children’s Services, £3.9m savings from the Places Budget – such as changes to waste collections, and £11.1m savings in efficiency measures including proposed changes to employment and reducing agency staff costs, which is likely to affect services such as Connexions and adult agency care.

The budget did not receive the support of opposition councillors and several back bench Conservatives, many of whom criticised a lack of detailed information.

Independent Councillor Arthur Moran said: "The budget could be an iceberg, it looks okay above the line but the work is two thirds below the line. Whether it will it will sink us will depend on the people of Cheshire East.

"We’re being asked to support a budget with no indication of what is really happening."

Liberal Democrat councillor Ainsley Arnold added: "I don’t think any other group than the Conservative cabinet has been fully appraised of the figures and there been very little scrutiny.

"It is not just opposition parties, it is the back benchers too, they haven’t been getting the information either.

"We need members to be able to challenge the committee, there is a lot of talent in this council which is being ignored because of this."

He added that planned changed to agency staff in children’s and adult services will have a huge impact on residents.

He said: "They are basically saying they will only support the children who are the most problematic and every child outside that small cohort is not going to get the support they need.

"They have asked why opposition groups haven’t put forward an alternative budget, but without the full picture we are not in a position to do so.

"Our job now is to ensure that the effects of the budget are properly scrutinised."