Wiltshire Council job cuts: 228 granted voluntary redundancy

More than 220 staff at Wiltshire Council have been accepted for voluntary redundancy.

It is the first phase of a cost-cutting programme which aims to cut 400 posts from the workforce.

The Conservative-led authority has also revealed it is planning a management restructure which could see some of 18 service directors lose their jobs.

A total of £4m needs to be saved in the 2013-14 budget. Currently more than 5,000 staff work for the council.

Letters to inform staff of the outcome of their application have been sent out.

A decision on some 30 applications made in the second phase of redundancy is being discussed, with a third application period currently open.

But the Unison trade union warned frontline staff would be "squeezed", with their workloads increasing as a result of the cuts.

The voluntary redundancy plan was approved in the February cabinet meeting.

Over the past three years, the council has made 640 redundancies, saving £23m from staffing costs.