'1,000 jobs to go at four Yorkshire councils'

Councils in Kirklees, Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield admitted that jobs may have to be cut in the survey by BBC English Regions, which suggested that almost one in 10 of the workforce in some councils could be vulnerable as authorities are forced to cut back.

It found that of the 49 councils which were prepared to answer questions about possible job cuts, they were estimating losses of 25,000 over the next three to five years out of a total combined workforce of 256,000.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said that councils had been hit by a "perfect storm" and had little choice but to shed jobs.

"Sources of income have dropped sharply at a time when more and more people are turning to councils to help them through tough times," said LGA chairman Dame Margaret Eaton.

"Town halls have been swept by the cold winds of recession for more than a year and that means difficult choices have to be made. Up and down the country many councils feel they have to take the decision to cut jobs in response."

Tony Travers, the director of the Greater London group at the London School of Economics, warned that the scale of the cuts meant that the public would inevitably be affected.

"Nothing like this has happened for a generation. To minimise the impacts on the public would require massive efficiencies in all services, higher charges for many, and sharing back-office staff with other public bodies."

However, the Department for Communities and Local Government - which is issuing guidance to councils on how to avoid cuts to frontline services by improving efficiency - said local authorities should not try to blame ministers for their difficulties.

Communities Secretary John Denham said: "The cuts that mainly Tory and Liberal Democrat Councils are leaping to make this year are local, political choices."