Job losses look likely at Copthorne Barracks following the Government’s defence review, a council chief has claimed.

Shropshire councillor for Copthorne Peter Nutting, who is also the leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, attended a meeting with Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski and other council officials, with the future of the barracks coming up for discussion.

This week, a defence review from the Government said the barracks would be staying open – but also announced that a divisional headquarters based at the Shrewsbury site is in line for closure next year.

The 5th Division at Copthorne Barracks, which employs 73 civilian workers and 64 military personnel, may have to shut down in August 2012 under the proposals put forward by defence secretary Liam Fox.

Under the plans, the Army’s four divisional headquarters will be disbanded and replaced with a single support command based in Aldershot.

Councillor Nutting said: “Daniel has a letter stating it is up for consultation. It looks like there will be jobs lost, but we are pleased the barracks will stay there.

“We will fight to keep as many as possible. But we are not expecting there will be many jobs lost outside 5th Division. Even inside it, it will not be complete job losses as it is moving to Aldershot and some of the military personnel will go there. So the actual impact on local jobs is less.

“But we are hoping to save all the other jobs at the barracks.”

A spokesman for the HQ 5th Division said the precise number of job losses was not yet known, but added that any proposals that affect employment at the barracks will be subject to formal union consultation.

The modern day 5th Division was established in 1995, with its headquarters based in Shrewsbury. It covers Wales, as well as the West Midlands, East Midlands and the East England.

It helps with equipping, training and deploying units on active service in all current theatres of operations, including Afghanistan.

Job losses are also feared at RAF Cosford, as the review laid out plans to move defence training away from the base to the south-west of the country – desc- ribed by PCS union leaders as a “kick in the teeth”.