Warning as Telford & Wrekin Council’s job loss toll to rise
Sunday 6th February 2011, 11:00AM GMT.
Council workers were today warned the worst is yet to come after new figures revealed 43 members of staff were made redundant by Telford & Wrekin Council last year.
Chief Executive of the council Victor Brownlees said he expected the figure to rise to 530 job losses between now and April next year due to the sweeping Government cuts.
The statistics came to light in the council’s response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
It also showed there were 28 redundancies at the authority in 2009.
Mr Brownlees said: “This council is facing grant cuts of £12 million next year and a total of £25 million over the next four years. We simply cannot make those sort of savings without reducing the number of staff we employ.
“We have been honest with our employees about this and have said that up to 530 posts could go between now and April 2012.”
Telford & Wrekin Council said it had already begun a streamlining process prior to the coalition Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, but that further cutbacks were needed.
The council said today it was working hard to cushion the blow to its staff by looking for the most sensitive and efficient ways to reduce the number of people on its payroll.
These include finding new jobs for existing workers and freezing recruitment.
Mr Brownlees said: “We had already commenced a programme of restructuring in the knowledge that times would be tough. For instance we had already halved senior management posts before we received the final grant settlement.
“In reducing the size of the organisation we seek to avoid forced redundancies through, for example, restricting recruitment and redeploying staff to other jobs within the council.
“To date we have redeployed over 100 people to alternative work.
“We are committed to consulting with our staff and we seek their views on ways to achieve the savings needed.”
Since April last year, 27 staff have been made redundant from Telford & Wrekin Council. Of these, six were compulsory.
The Freedom of Information request was made by resident Derek Billton.
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How about Mr Brownlees taking a 30% cut in salary and councillors take a similar cut in their allowances, that would save thousands.
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I just do not understand where the council spend taxpayers money. It’s beyond belief that they are having to reduce staff on such a huge scale. I appreciate that their are jobs that should be gone, and staff that may not be able to justify their positions, but to this amount, its unbelieveable.
I also do not believe that this council have spent taxpayers money wisely over the last 10 years. Its not just down to government cutbacks, but irresponsible money management.
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I would disagree with irresponsible money management.
In my experience the areas where most money is wasted in Local Authorities are dealing with Freedom of Information requests, tending to unsubstantiated moans and winges from the general public, compiling endless performance indicator information for government statistics and constantly repairing and re-repairing public places such as bus stops following repeat vandalism.
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So you would rather the public weren’t told where there money is being spent?
Makes sense…
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I can think of more ways for Telford Council to save money….stop providing Blackberries to council senior managers – just because they are senior and perks of the job are expected. If they are on call – give them the on call mobile.
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