The total number of council job losses as a result of government spending cuts has reached more than 66,000 so far, according to the GMB union’s latest tally covering 64 councils. Union officers said they were involved in a 90-day consultation process with most of the councils.
The Councils most at risk of job cuts found were at Suffolk County Council, with an expected 1,500 job losses, while Aberdeen City Council plans to cut 900 jobs.
Brian Strutton, GMB national secretary for public services, said the coalition government should be targeting “tax dodgers who avoid £50 billion in taxes each year” rather than reducing spending. “Councils workers are not to blame – why is the government targeting lollypop staff, school dinner staff, cleaners, social workers and home care assistants? It is totally unfair.”
In November, council leaders warned that about 140,000 local authority jobs would be lost in the next year as a result of spending cuts. Analysis from the Local Government Group, part of the Local Government Association, said that the scale of job losses is likely to be 40 per cent higher than was originally thought following the comprehensive spending review.
Jason McGee-Abe
Project Support Office
