Council care home jobs face axe

Some employees could be redeployed

More than 100 jobs could be lost as Devon County Council tries to reduce the cost of running its care homes.

The council funds the care of 550 residents in 24 council-run homes and 3,000 more in private care homes.

An independent review carried out by the National Care Home Forum in June found staffing levels were far higher than in private sector homes.

The council is proposing to axe 130 posts - of which nearly half will be managerial.

The cuts are expected to save about £5m over three years.

'Out of control'

The council insists standards of care will not be affected and some of the savings will be used to improve buildings, carry out maintenance and create an extra 30 beds.

Councillor Stuart Barker said: "For years, we have known that the council's residential home costs have been allowed to escalate out of control.

"We now need to take action to reduce the cost of our care homes to deliver more frontline services for the growing number of older people."

Talks with trade unions are already taking place and the council said it hopes to redeploy some staff or fill vacancies in the private sector.

Liz French, a spokeswoman for the trade union Unison, said the council announcement was "disappointing but not unexpected".

"Workers knew something was going to happen, they just didn't know when - now at least they know what's going to happen," she told BBC News.

The cabinet will be asked to approve the council's proposals next Tuesday, after which a formal 90-day consultation period will begin.