Derby City Council says compulsory redundancies reduced

Compulsory redundancies at Derby City Council have been cut by more than three quarters, officials have said.

The authority had expected 126 posts to go as part of a £25m savings plan but now estimates about 30 will be lost.

It said moving staff internally meant fewer will be forced out, though more than 500 had already gone voluntarily from a workforce of about 10,000.

But the council warned negotiations with unions about cuts under next year's savings plan had already begun.

Savings identified

Councils said they faced falls in central government funding at the same time demand for services was rising.

Derby council, run by a Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition, said faster turnover in some departments, particularly neighbourhoods, meant vacant posts could be deleted.

Chief executive Adam Wilkinson said they were already looking at the next round of losses.

"We obviously have to start looking at next year, the 2012/13 financial year, and that target is a further £20m of savings.

"However a lot of those savings have been identified as part of the current budget setting process agreed by full council in March."

Public service union Unison has not yet commented.