Herefordshire Council jobs to go as budget set

Up to 250 jobs are set to go at Herefordshire Council.

The council announced the news as it set a new budget designed to save £10.3m in the coming financial year and £5.8m the following year.

A spokesman said council tax would be frozen and management jobs cut but most frontline services would be safeguarded.

Council leader Roger Phillips said the council had to absorb an "unprecedented level" of cuts.

The 250 jobs will go over the next two years. More than 30 of these are management posts.

Free travel

Areas affected by the cuts include concessionary bus fares although free travel for bus pass holders will remain, except for during weekday morning commuter periods.

Rural bus services may be affected with consultations being held over the spring and summer.

The county's mobile library service is also under review.

Councillor Phillips said the Conservative-run council's strategy was to cut the cost of services, rather than the services.

"We have an unprecedented level of government cuts that we have to absorb but we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact on those front line services that are valued across the county," he said.