Dumfries and Galloway Council staff numbers continue to tumble

The council has seen staff numbers fall by more than 100 in the space of 12 months

Staffing levels have fallen by more than 100 on Dumfries and Galloway Council in the space of a year.

A snapshot of the employment situation at the local authority showed a headcount of 6,245 in April this year.

At the same time 12 months ago the number of people employed was reported as being 6,359.

The figures are contained in a council plan that outlines how it hopes to deliver a "smaller, flexibly-skilled workforce for the future".

The local authority has previously heard how cuts in staffing levels saved in excess of £60m over a five-year period.

The "significant savings" were delivered through a range of measures, including early retirement and voluntary redundancy.

'Smaller workforce'

The latest report shows efforts to reduce the council wage bill continued over the past year.

"Since staffing costs account for a large percentage of the council's revenue budget, any significant reduction in the council's budget cannot be met without changes in the level of expenditure on staffing," it said.

"Put simply, the council will have a much smaller workforce, delivering less or differently.

"Jobs and roles that are retained will require staff to retrain and acquire new skills."

It said all council workers should expect to "retrain and adapt to meet changing needs and different roles, both now and in the future".