Job fears over council's budget

Flintshire council has said it must make financial savings

A council is due to discuss a financial review which could lead to job losses among its workers.

Flintshire council has said it faces a projected budget deficit of £5m to £7m in the financial year 2006-7 and is looking to make savings.

The council's leader has warned there could be around 100 redundancies from the 7,000-strong workforce.

Flintshire councillors are to meet on Tuesday. Unions say compulsory redundancies should be a "last resort".

The council's chief executive, Philip McGreevy, is due to give members an update in which he will outline a number of savings that could be made by re-organising the authority.

Financial challenges

Council leader, Alex Aldridge has previously said he believes around 100 redundancies were possible out of a total workforce of between 6,000 and 7,000 as the council seeks to combat the anticipated deficit at the end of the next financial year.

Flintshire council said in a statement on Monday: "Flintshire council today began the process of planning its approach to the challenges presented by the expected level of financial settlement from the Welsh Assembly Government for 2006-07.

"There will be an initial report to the council on 26 July."

Union leaders said they were unhappy they had learned details of the possible cuts through the media.

Libby Sutton, branch secretary of Unison which has around 2,500 members at Flintshire County Council added: "It's certainly our view that compulsory redundancies should be absolutely the last resort.

"The council should be looking at losing agency staff and actually controlling employment and looking for redeployment."