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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| City council to cut 2,000 posts | City council to cut 2,000 posts |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Up to 2,000 jobs could go from Birmingham City Council during the next financial year. | Up to 2,000 jobs could go from Birmingham City Council during the next financial year. |
| The council, the largest local authority in the UK which employs 52,000 people, said it had to make savings of up to £69m by April 2011. | The council, the largest local authority in the UK which employs 52,000 people, said it had to make savings of up to £69m by April 2011. |
| The cuts are based on an assumption that unions will agree to a pay freeze, with the council saying there could be more job cuts if not. | |
| A Unison spokesman said the workforce had been treated with "contempt". | |
| Reports have been circulating for some time about job losses. | Reports have been circulating for some time about job losses. |
| In my time in public service this is probably the biggest challenge we are ever going to face Birmingham City Council chief executive Stephen Hughes | |
| Roger McKenzie, regional Unison officer for the West Midlands, said two weeks ago the council had started a process of announcing specific cuts. | |
| "We started to question them about this and they went quiet," he said. | |
| "We didn't hear anything for a while and then we hear, through the media, about these jobs going. | |
| "Its outrageous, its no way to treat your staff." | |
| Chief executive Stephen Hughes said the council was facing "a very large challenge". | Chief executive Stephen Hughes said the council was facing "a very large challenge". |
| "In my time in public service this is probably the biggest challenge we are ever going to face," he said. | "In my time in public service this is probably the biggest challenge we are ever going to face," he said. |
| 'Voluntary redundancies' | |
| Staff in several departments have been sent letters asking if they wish to take voluntary redundancy and the council has said it hopes most losses can be made through that or early retirement. | Staff in several departments have been sent letters asking if they wish to take voluntary redundancy and the council has said it hopes most losses can be made through that or early retirement. |
| Workers in the children and young people's department are expected to bear the brunt of the losses. | Workers in the children and young people's department are expected to bear the brunt of the losses. |
| The council has said teachers or social workers are not under threat. | The council has said teachers or social workers are not under threat. |
| Other areas which could be affected include day care centres, residential homes for the elderly, sport and leisure facilities and libraries. | Other areas which could be affected include day care centres, residential homes for the elderly, sport and leisure facilities and libraries. |
| The council has also identified several areas where it can increase its revenue. | The council has also identified several areas where it can increase its revenue. |
| These include looking at what can be done to increase revenues at its cemeteries and crematoria, vehicle recovery and parks, museums and libraries departments. | These include looking at what can be done to increase revenues at its cemeteries and crematoria, vehicle recovery and parks, museums and libraries departments. |