Middlesbrough Council axes 120 jobs in £14m cuts

Middlesbrough Council is to shed 120 jobs in a bid to save £14m over the next 12 months, it has been confirmed.

The budget cuts will mean community centres closing, as well as the dial-a-ride service and Middlesbrough deaf service being axed.

Funding for youth centres and libraries will also be reduced, the council said.

Middlesbrough Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell warned more cuts were to come, but said that locals were "resilient". Mayor Ray Mallon said axing jobs was "difficult".

The authority, which has a Labour majority and is led by independent mayor Ray Mallon, needs to save a total of £50m over the next four years.

Mr Bell said: "There will be more savings to come and community centres may close, but hopefully they can be run by the local community.

"It will be hard but the people of Middlesbrough will cope because we are resilient - we are not softies."