A series of drop-in sessions with the MHKs leading government’s SAVE campaign has been announced.

SAVE - Securing Added Value and Efficiencies - was set up by Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan to spearhead efforts to make ongoing cost reductions in government spending of £25m over the next five years.

The reductions are necessary to ensure the future sustainability of key public services.

Already more than 300 suggestions have been posted on the government’s online ’ideas hub’ found at www.gov.im/save

Everyone interested in discussing their ideas on how government could save money and sustain services is invited to drop-in at one of these sessions:

This Thursday (April 13) - Castletown Library between 12 noon and 3pm with David Ashford MHK

Thursday April 20 - Douglas Library between 12 noon and 3pm with David Ashford MHK

Thursday April 27 - Ramsey Library between 12 noon and 3pm with Lawrie Hooper MHK

Thursday May 4 - Peel Town Hall between 1pm and 4pm with Bill Shimmins MHK

Staff and students at University College Isle of Man will also have the opportunity to meet Bill Shimmins and Lawrie Hooper on April 28 to discuss the SAVE programme.

Forms for submitting ideas in writing will be available at the drop-in sessions as well as in today’s Examiner, the Manx Independent on 20 April 20 and the Courier on May 5.

Mr Shimmins, who chairs the SAVE team, said: ’I want to thank the public of the Isle of Man for engaging so readily with the project. ’It’s been live for less than a week, but already the online ideas hub has seen more than 300 submissions and some ideas have stimulated lively discussions among contributors.

’Clearly people have given serious thought to how government could streamline its services, cut waste or do things in new and innovative ways.”

Every idea submitted through the website or the write-in forms will be looked at by the SAVE team, as it develops proposals for the Council of Ministers to consider.

CoMin will decide which to develop further and implement across government.

Mr Shimmins urged everyone who cares about the future of the Isle of Man to join the challenge to find new ways of working and innovative ideas to create these savings.

Deadline for submissions is May 14.