Derby City Council defends compulsory redundancy plans

Derby City Council has said it needs to make about 350 compulsory redundancies in order to find savings of £81m over the next three years.

Only four people have been offered voluntary redundancy after the authority announced the job cuts in November.

The Labour-led council said it was facing pressure to find the savings and the job cuts were "necessary".

Unison said it was concerned the cuts could impact on frontline services.

Councillor Sarah Russell, member for business, finance and democracy, said: "Historically we've done a good job in finding volunteers to go from their posts.

'Cease services'

"Inevitably as time goes on and cuts continue we're facing sustained pressure in terms of the money we have to find to save and that inevitably means compulsory redundancies are necessary."

More than 1,200 jobs at the authority have been lost since 2010.

Andrew Freeman, regional organiser for Unison, said: "All the volunteers have already gone.

"What worries me is where the roles are going from and my concern is whether Derby City Council will start to cease services that affect the vulnerable and disabled."

Ms Russell defended the council's living wage policy, due to be introduced in April, which will see 1,000 employees' pay rise to a guaranteed £7.45 per hour.

"There's a cost of living crisis and people can't afford to feed their families," she said.

The council has said the job cuts are due to be made by March.