25,000 council jobs 'under threat'

Mon 01 Mar 2010

About 25,000 local authority workers could be set to lose their jobs over the next five years, a new study has concluded.

Research by the BBC found that the recent recession has prompted many councils to look at trimming expenditure in various departments.

The findings, which were based on answers from 49 authorities, suggest that about one in ten council jobs will be under threat between now and 2015.

While jobs in areas such as children's social services were said to be fairly secure, people who provide other council services such as libraries and road maintenance could be facing a more uncertain future.

However, the conclusions of the study have been dismissed by prime minister Gordon Brown, who said the Labour government has given an extra 40 per cent to councils over the last decade.

He told BBC Radio Berkshire that while councils will have to emulate central government in making efficiency savings, the availability of funding has gone up by four per cent this year.

Shadow communities and local government secretary Caroline Spelman added that town halls are in an "unenviable position", as they will either have to increase council tax or tighten their belts.