ANTI-cuts campaigners made their feelings known ahead of last night’s Southend Council budget meeting.

Southend members of trade union Unison and supporters of lobby group Southend Against the Cuts gathered outside Southend Victoria train station and marched to the civic centre in Victoria Avenue.

They protested about Southend Council saving £44.3million over the next four years, leading to 120 job losses and £11.8million of cuts in 2012/13.

Claire Wormald, Unison branch secretary, said a petition was also being handed to the council before the meeting with almost 2,000 signatures opposing the cuts.

She said: “120 jobs are going in areas like social services and people who deal with the most vulnerable, so it will definitely have an impact on the community.”