'Thousands' of council jobs to go

Unions representing council workers across Wales have warned that local authorities will lose "thousands" of jobs because of spending cuts being planned as a result of this week's Welsh Government budget.

The warning comes as councillors themselves are told that they could get a small increase in their allowances under a recommendation of an independent review panel.

Alexandra Lodge reports.

Russell Goodway, the cabinet member for economy on Cardiff Council, told ITV Cymru Wales' Sharp End programme that Wales' largest local authority would also be struggling to balance the books after cuts to funding in the Welsh Government's Draft Budget.

He said: "We employ 10,000 full-time equivalent, excluding teachers. I doubt by the time we get to 2017 that half of those people will be working for the council."

Mark Evans, branch secretary for public services union UNISON, says job cuts at Carmarthenshire County Council "will have a huge effect on our members - and also have a massive impact on the local economy."

The leader of Carmarthenshire County Council has warned that "many hundreds" of jobs will have to be lost at the local authority, due to cuts in the amount allocated to councils in the Welsh Government's Draft Budget.

Council leader Kevin Madge said it will have to save £30m.

It is looking to find members of staff looking to take voluntary redundancy and early retirement, to keep the number of compulsory job losses down.

The Welsh Government has said it has worked with local authorities to cushion the impact of budget cuts.

Read More: Welsh Government unveils spending plans in Draft Budget