Leeds City Council could axe 600 jobs

Leeds City Council is facing a budget shortfall for 2021/22 of £119m

More than 600 jobs could be axed as Leeds City Council makes huge cuts to next year's budget.

Early blueprints for the 2021/22 budget also include the closure of two care homes, a country park visitor centre and a recycling centre.

It follows news that the council was facing a £119m budget shortfall for 2021/22, thanks partly to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its leader warned further cuts would be required without a government bailout.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a report, set to be discussed at an executive board meeting on 21 October, outlined an "overall anticipated reduction in the workforce for 2021/22 of 617 posts".

Leeds City Council said it would "make every effort to avoid any compulsory redundancies being made".

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Other measures include a proposal to consult on the closure of the council-run care homes Homelea House, in Rothwell, and Richmond House, in Farsley.

A statement from the council added: "Any decisions to move ahead with closure would include a full public consultation and work to identify other care home accommodation suited to the individual needs of residents currently living at both care homes."

The proposals also include the closure of Otley (Ellar Ghyll) household waste and recycling centre with affected staff being redeployed.

West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre, in Pudsey Park, is also earmarked for closure with a potential option to replace it with a park cafe.

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "The government rightly wants local authorities to take more of a leading role in fighting the pandemic.

"However, without significantly more funding from central government we will be fighting the virus with one hand tied behind our back, due to the devastating hole Covid-19 has blown in our budget."

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