Compulsory job losses at Cornwall Council 'imminent'

A union which represents staff at Cornwall Council has warned that hundreds of compulsory redundancy notices could soon be sent out.

The council is aiming to save £170m over four years, with up to 2,000 posts expected to be cut.

It said the majority of redundancy notices to be issued to employees in January were expected to be voluntary.

The Unison union has been in talks with the council to try to reduce the number of compulsory job losses.

'Fairly imminently'

Stuart Roden, from Unison, which represents about 6,000 Cornwall Council staff, said: "We want to minimise it as far as possible but I think realistically we are talking about hundreds of compulsory redundancies.

"We know it is coming fairly imminently."

He said the union still did not know "absolutely" the number of redundancies which would be compulsory.

A ballot of union members is due to be held over changes to staff pay and conditions which could save £6m and protect 200 jobs.

Cornwall Council said: "The council remains committed to achieving the proposed changes to employment terms and conditions in order to prevent further job losses and service cuts, and acknowledges the significance of the union's ballot to secure this."