Telford and Wrekin Council to cut 50 more jobs

The council said it hoped the Southwater scheme in Telford would bring more investment and jobs

About 50 jobs are to go at Telford and Wrekin Council as part of plans to save £9m in the next financial year.

The Labour-run council has approved its annual budget of £142m which includes a council tax rise of 1.9%, adding 32p a week to the average household bill.

Since May 2011 the authority has cut 985 posts to make savings of £31m due to funding cuts.

Councillor Bill McClements said: "We've had a 22% staff reduction and have restructured from top to bottom."

"This approach will see us save £51m since 2009 but we can't simply keep on cutting," he said.

"We must look forward and put in place the measures this borough needs to create new jobs and growth - that is what this budget will deliver."

The council is planning to build seven new secondary schools and invest millions of pounds in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

It also putting more money into the regeneration of areas including Brookside, Hadley and Oakengates.

The council hopes the £250m Southwater development will attract more investment and jobs to the area.

Work to build an 11-screen cinema, car park, hotel, restaurants, bars and other leisure facilities in Telford town centre began in January.

The trade union Unison said it "was not happy" about further job losses but it was in contact with the council to look at alternative ways to make savings.

Jonathan Sedgebeer from the Telford branch said: "We've had a lot of turmoil already with hundreds of people taking voluntary redundancy in the past two years and the problem is we're now looking at possible compulsory redundancies."

"We understand the pressures the council is under because of reductions in government funding but further job cuts will seriously affect council services."