Up to 71,000 council jobs facing axe

The number of council jobs cut or threatened with the axe in recent weeks has now topped 70,000, with unions fearing the pace of redundancies will quicken in the New Year, according to a new report.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Dec 2010, 22:54 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2010, 22:55 BST

The GMB union said that over 70 local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland had now issued warnings of job losses as a result of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review in October.

Union officials were involved in the statutory 90-day consultations over job cuts in councils across the country, said the GMB. The latest threats of job cuts were in Trafford, Preston, Wirral, Cheshire, Cambridgeshire and Gloucestershire, according to the union.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The GMB said councils across England were planning to hold meetings this week to assess spending in the coming year after receiving news from the Government about the level of grant support.

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: "Over 9,000 in 19 councils are under threat after announcements in recent days. This brings the total under threat to over 71,000 before the level of grant support for English councils is announced."

Don't try to pick a fight with councils, Mr Pickles: Page 11.

Related topics:GMBEnglandGovernmentScotlandWalesCambridgeshireGloucestershire