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Council merger will cost 800 jobs

Up to 800 posts will be lost with the creation of a “super council” in Northumberland, officials have said.

In April the county and six existing district councils will be merged to form one authority.

The council said it expected to redeploy about 300 people and attract a further 400 applications for voluntary redundancy packages. Consultations with union officials are to take place, with the council predicting 100 compulsory job losses.

A council spokesman said: “Although council structures are still in the process of formal consultation with unions, the council recognises its role as a major employer and is looking to minimise the economic impact of any job losses on the county.

“Although it is difficult to be specific about exact numbers prior to the results of consultation and the setting of the annual budget, the council estimates that around 800 posts will be lost.

“However, the council is currently carrying around 300 vacancies which will be used as redeployment opportunities bringing the number of job losses down to around 500. It is also thought that around 400 of these will be voluntary redundancies bringing the final figure for compulsory redundancies down to under 100.”

Council leader Jeff Reid told the BBC: “The council is facing a number of external economic pressures, which are unique to Northumberland such as flood recovery and the Icelandic banking collapse. We have had to take a number of difficult decisions, and whilst any job losses are undesirable, the council is working hard to minimise the number of people affected.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .