This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-25727747
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Lancashire County Council plans to axe 2,500 jobs | Lancashire County Council plans to axe 2,500 jobs |
(35 minutes later) | |
About 2,500 full-time jobs are set to go at Lancashire County Council because of budget cuts, the authority has said. | About 2,500 full-time jobs are set to go at Lancashire County Council because of budget cuts, the authority has said. |
The staff cuts are expected to come into force by April 2016. | The staff cuts are expected to come into force by April 2016. |
Lancashire County Council (LCC) leader Jennifer Mein said the authority would do "everything" to avoid compulsory redundancies. | Lancashire County Council (LCC) leader Jennifer Mein said the authority would do "everything" to avoid compulsory redundancies. |
She said she was "absolutely devastated" but it was the "harsh reality" of the £300m of savings it needs to make over the next four years. | She said she was "absolutely devastated" but it was the "harsh reality" of the £300m of savings it needs to make over the next four years. |
'Significant posts' | 'Significant posts' |
The Labour councillor said: "It is heartbreaking to think there are 2,500 families that are going to be affected by this. | The Labour councillor said: "It is heartbreaking to think there are 2,500 families that are going to be affected by this. |
"We have had to be sensible about it; we are being asked to reduce our budget by £800m to £500m and I think most people would understand that it won't be achieved without significant posts being lost." | "We have had to be sensible about it; we are being asked to reduce our budget by £800m to £500m and I think most people would understand that it won't be achieved without significant posts being lost." |
She said she was going to "do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies". | She said she was going to "do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies". |
"My hope is that enough people will choose to go on a voluntary basis and our proposed approach has that outcome in mind," she said. | "My hope is that enough people will choose to go on a voluntary basis and our proposed approach has that outcome in mind," she said. |
Ms Mein said the number of job cuts would leave a "big hole" in services. | Ms Mein said the number of job cuts would leave a "big hole" in services. |
"We are going to have to reshape our services completely," she said. | "We are going to have to reshape our services completely," she said. |
"What we are trying to do is protect services as far as we possibly can to the most vulnerable people... in the face of the drastic cuts." | "What we are trying to do is protect services as far as we possibly can to the most vulnerable people... in the face of the drastic cuts." |
The proposals are to go before the council's cabinet on 24 January. | The proposals are to go before the council's cabinet on 24 January. |
The authority employs 34,500 people but the majority of jobs are funded through the schools budget. | The authority employs 34,500 people but the majority of jobs are funded through the schools budget. |
There are 13,000 non-school employees at risk by the proposed cuts. | There are 13,000 non-school employees at risk by the proposed cuts. |
On Thursday, the LCC cabinet agreed a proposal to increase council tax by 1.99%. | |
Ms Mein said the rise, the equivalent of 41.5p per for a band D property, would bring in an extra £7.3m and was "a small price to pay" to protect services. | |
The final decision on the council tax increase will be made at a full council meeting on 27 February. |