South Staffs Council staff facing compulsory redundancies

Compulsory redundancies are now "inevitable" at South Staffordshire Council after 16 of its 413 workers applied to leave voluntarily.

The council needs to save more than £2.5 million over the next two years.

Bosses had hoped a voluntary scheme launched last month would limit the number of workers being forced to leave.

All 16 redundancy applications have been accepted, and payouts will cost the council a lump sum of £277,000.

Bosses had already earmarked savings of £500,000 and the redundancies will save a further £500,000.

But the measures currently imposed still leave a £1.5m black hole, with a substantial amount of the remaining savings having to be made through job cuts.

Councillor Brian Edwards, leader of the Tory-run council, said: "Compulsory redundancies are now inevitable. We'll sit down and identify how we can make the extra savings we need, and begin a second phase of consultation with our staff and the unions.

"It costs each taxpayer less than £2 a week to run this authority, and we'll continue to deliver the value for money services our residents expect."

As part of cost-cutting plans, fees for non-members at council leisure centres are being increased by five per cent, raising £54,000.