Amsterdam city council is to slash spending by €83m next year, rising to a total €208m by 2014.

The cuts are the biggest in the council’s history, the Telegraaf reported.
The economic crisis, cuts in government grants, and financial setbacks stemming from the Noord-Zuid metro are the main reasons for the need to cut spending, council officials said.
About half of the savings will be made on trimming back on local government apparatus. But spending on support for tenants, public libraries, the botanical gardens and city zoo will also be reduced.
Plans to build 11,500 new homes and 284,000 square metres of office space are also being shelved.
Policies to tackle poverty will remain untouched, Lodewijk Asscher, in charge of the city’s finances was quoted as saying. Education, public safety and urban renewal will remain a priority.