The council has asked the government to release the impact models used to predict the potential effects in terms of human impact – such as elderly residents reliant on social care, children with complex needs and low-income families.
Roberts said it was “unheard of” for a government to give councils less than three months’ formal notice to implement cuts of this scale, and said it was “bordering on irresponsible”.
He outlined ways Richmond had managed its budget, including measures such as sharing back-office staff with Wandsworth Council.
He said: “We’re not trying to build up huge amounts of money and just protect our income here. As a council, we’re trying to protect services for residents.”