Up to 200 jobs face axe at Worcestershire County Council

The authority has asked staff if they want to take voluntary redundancy

As many as 200 jobs could go at a county council as it looks to make millions of pounds worth of savings.

Staff at Worcestershire County Council have been asked if they want to take voluntary redundancy.

An email sent out by chief executive Paul Robinson told the authority's 2,800 staff they have until November to take up the offer.

A council spokesman said the scheme will help it "address a projected in-year overspend of £5 million".

The council needs to save £18m by March.

Frontline council workers - including children's social workers - have been told they cannot apply for voluntary redundancy.

• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands

The authority is also offering staff a 'buy one hour get one free' for additional leave over Christmas and New Year, as well as proposing all non-frontline agency staff take a break during December in a bid to save more money.

'Safety will suffer'

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council, said: "It is expected that up to 200 full time equivalent staff will leave the council as part of the scheme, which we have discussed with our recognised trade unions."

Jim Price, secretary of Worcestershire's Unison branch, said: "The council might be saying that they are saving frontline services but it means a lot of office staff and a lot of the back office functions will just stop.

"That means areas such as quality control and health and safety will suffer because of that."

Staff who apply for voluntary redundancy will leave before the end of March next year.