Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our personalised newsletter.The Covid-19 crisis response has cost North Lanarkshire Council nearly £47 million – and now up to £18.3m of new savings are needed.Cuts will have to be implemented within the next seven months for the authority to balance its books this year.Leader Jim Logue called the financial picture “an almost impossible challenge” and warned that services for residents will be affected as a result.Members have now agreed to set up a cross-party budget group to consider options to address the projected deficit, while officials continue to apply for additional funding – to supplement £19m already received from the Scottish Government for coronavirus.