Council staff consider voluntary redundancy

Cumbria County Council has revealed that more than 1,000 of its employees have expressed an interest in accepting voluntary redundancy, after it expressed an intention to shed hundreds of workers.

According to the Carlisle News & Star, the local authority – which is looking to cut 611 of its current workforce of 9,310 – confirmed it had received 1,004 enquiries, thereby reducing the likelihood of compulsory sackings.

“Voluntary redundancy is one of a number of mechanisms the council has put in place,” said Councillor Liz Mallinson. “It is important that we try to reduce our workforce through this method first without impacting on services.”

The council has also imposed a recruitment freeze as it braces itself for the impact of reductions in central government expenditure, meaning that workers who do leave are unlikely to be replaced.

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Earlier this week, Scottish Labour came under fire from the SNP, which accused its rival of “hot air” rhetoric over protecting public sector jobs and maintaining taxpayer-funded services at local level.

Posted by Hayley Edwards