400 Council jobs at risk in Cheshire

Cheshire West and Chester Council says more than 400 local authority jobs could be lost as it restructures to meet Government demands for additional budget savings.

"Unavoidable" staff reductions - which would save £14.7m - are among the budget options currently out to public consultation which are aimed at bridging a £49m financial gap over three years.

Today, Council Leader Mike Jones said: "In an ideal world we would not be considering further job losses and we will do everything we can to manage this situation with empathy and understanding.

"However, the stark reality of this situation is that you cannot save this amount of money - and protect services - without being forced into making some extremely difficult decisions."

If agreed, Council staff reductions over the next three years will focus mainly on senior and middle management posts but also affect staff across the board in six council services.

But with an annual turnover of around 350 employees, it is hoped that the reductions will be affected through natural causes, such as retirement and career change, and voluntary redundancy with little or no compulsory redundancy.

If agreed, there will be full consultation with members of staff and union representatives at Director and Departmental level and all proposals will be considered by Scrutiny Committees covering the elevant services.

Since its inception in 2009, Cheshire West and Chester Council has shed around 1,200 staff with only a handful of compulsory losses - a managed process which has protected employees and the local economy.

In four years CWAC has already managed to absorb over £40m of reductions in central grant whilst saving £113m through prudent award-winning financial management and innovative re-organisation.

While the authority says that development by Councils across the UK has faltered, CWAC has introduced a £70m leisure investment programme across the borough and financially paved the way for the vital Northgate and Baron's Quay retail development schemes in Chester and Northwich.

Pledged Cllr Jones: "We will continue to restructure, innovate, increase efficiency and eliminate waste and duplication by sharing services with other authorities, whilst doing everything to protect frontline services, especially for vulnerable children and elderly residents.

"If it were not for similar actions taken since 2009, we would certainly have been facing the nightmare situation predicted by many of our hard-hit fellow local authorities across the country."

Of the £113m saved, £44m has been reinvested into frontline services, leaving a net saving of £69m for taxpayers - the equivalent of £629 on Band D homes.

The budget consultation closes on February 9 and ten days later members of the CWAC

Executive will consider its proposals after examining the feedback from the public and stakeholders.

Final decisions will be made at full council on March 3.