Council acts to protect jobs 'from hatchet men'

The freeze, applied to non-frontline posts, means all vacancies must now be approved by Cabinet member Steve Swift before they are advertised.

In response to last week's emergency budget by the coalition Government, which proposed a two-year pay freeze for public sector workers earning more than 21,000, the council said many of its employees would not get a rise for three years.

Coun Swift, Cabinet member for corporate services, said: "Cuts of the magnitude announced in the emergency budget will take some managing. We have to act and act we will. We must endeavour to protect front line services wherever possible.

"That's why we haven't implemented a blanket freeze. To do so could compromise services unnecessarily.

"I have always said our workforce is our most valuable asset; if we don't implement this freeze and now, that asset will be stripped bare by the central Government hatchet men."

Council chief executive Simon Driver said the authority was in uncharted waters.

He said: "Never before has the council faced in year cuts. We live in unprecedented times; we are taking unprecedented action.

"It's not nice but it must be done to soften the blows coming."