Services across mid Wales will be cut by a fifth as a county looks to find £27m savings over the next three years.

Powys County Council has warned highways services will need to find £6.4m in reductions, adult social care £4.8m, education £4m and children's services £2.8m.

Deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, Cllr Wynne Jones, said the local authority would be forced to consider a number of 'unpalatable options' in a bid to limit spending. These could include raising the school starting age, charging for post-16 school transport and major changes to care for the old and young.

The county's three year budget plan comes despite the town hall cutting £40m from services since 2012 in line with continued reductions to public sector funding. Cllr Jones said the town hall would 'have to consider large scale reductions in support staff and our back office functions'.

He added that Powys could establish a joint venture company to deliver services or 'commission others to deliver services on behalf of the council' in a bid to save funds. Joint working would also need to become 'far more commercially aware', he added.

All non-statutory services are being examined by the council cabinet, with the potential that support for schemes including tourist information could be withdrawn.

Cllr Jones said: 'Regrettably the coming period is likely to see far greater change and far more impact on Powys citizens as service radically transform or in some cases disappear altogether. We will do all we can to discuss changes with our communities but it is going to be a difficult period in the county's history.'