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| Civil servants behind Olympics are warned of redundancy | Civil servants behind Olympics are warned of redundancy |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Civil servants who helped organise the London Olympics and Paralympics were handed their own games legacy on Thursday – warnings they were at risk of redundancy. | Civil servants who helped organise the London Olympics and Paralympics were handed their own games legacy on Thursday – warnings they were at risk of redundancy. |
| All those working at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been given letters warning of job losses in the next stage of cuts by the coalition government. | All those working at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been given letters warning of job losses in the next stage of cuts by the coalition government. |
| The cuts were promised in 2010 by then culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, when he said the department's administrative budget could be halved by 2014-15. The DCMS says about 80 posts will go by April next year, taking the establishment down to about 330. | The cuts were promised in 2010 by then culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, when he said the department's administrative budget could be halved by 2014-15. The DCMS says about 80 posts will go by April next year, taking the establishment down to about 330. |
| The cuts will not affect 80 civil servants in the government's equalities office, responsible for issues relating to women, sexual orientation and transgender equality, which will move from the Home Office. Maria Miller, the culture secretary, is also minister for women and equality. | The cuts will not affect 80 civil servants in the government's equalities office, responsible for issues relating to women, sexual orientation and transgender equality, which will move from the Home Office. Maria Miller, the culture secretary, is also minister for women and equality. |
| The Public and Commercial Services Union said the redundancy letters showed "how little regard ministers have for their staff as they plough ahead with unnecessary cuts that are making our economic situation worse". | The Public and Commercial Services Union said the redundancy letters showed "how little regard ministers have for their staff as they plough ahead with unnecessary cuts that are making our economic situation worse". |
| Many staff had not only worked on the Olympics, but were also responsible for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations and the successful switchover from analogue to digital television, "work that has touched every person in the UK". | Many staff had not only worked on the Olympics, but were also responsible for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations and the successful switchover from analogue to digital television, "work that has touched every person in the UK". |
| Mark Serwotka, the PCSU general secretary, said: "This legacy from Jeremy Hunt is a new definition of cruelty, threatening staff with the sack while the Olympic spirit is still alive across the country." The department had refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. | Mark Serwotka, the PCSU general secretary, said: "This legacy from Jeremy Hunt is a new definition of cruelty, threatening staff with the sack while the Olympic spirit is still alive across the country." The department had refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. |
| The DCMS press office confirmed letters regarding redundancy had been sent to all civil servants in the department. | The DCMS press office confirmed letters regarding redundancy had been sent to all civil servants in the department. |
| A DCMS spokesman said: 'The department is playing a full part in the cross-government work to reduce the deficit, and this includes making 50% cuts to our administrative costs. | |
| "Much progress has already been made particularly in reducing non pay costs such as accommodation, but it is clear that more needs to be done. | |
| "The post-Olympic DCMS will be a smaller, more flexible organisation, a mixture of permanent and temporary staff – we believe it will become a model for future civil service working. | |
| "To get there, however, a number of posts will be cut and we hope to achieve this through a voluntary redundancy scheme and a fair selection process for staff remaining." |