130 jobs go in a year at Dudley Council

Officials from the authority today revealed a total of 127 voluntary redundancies had been authorised over the period.

And while there had been no compulsory redundancies, bosses said these figures were likely to change as the authority continues its struggle to balance the books.

The council needs to make savings of £22.1 million during the current financial year rising to £24.3 million in 2016/17 and £26.3 million in 2017/18.

But this will still leave a further gap of £32.7 million which will need to be addressed by 2017/18.

Council leader Councillor Pete Lowe confirmed the latest redundancy figures for the authority.

"A total of 127 voluntary redundancies have been authorised and no compulsory redundancies during the period," he said.

"As far as there can be a positive element in this all the people who have been given redundancy have wanted to go.

"Inevitably, however, there may be some compulsory redundancies as a result of the agreed budget for 2015/16 and we will be working with staff throughout this process."

Councillor Lowe said the council would also be working to keep any compulsory redundancies at the council to 'an absolute minimum'.

"Compulsory redundancies are a possibility over the coming year but they will be made as an absolute last resort," he added.

He said the number of redundancies, both voluntary and compulsory, expected over the coming year was not yet known.

"With regard to staffing levels we are also looking to reduce the need for compulsory redundancies by supporting voluntary redundancies wherever possible," he said.

"We are also managing vacancies and redeploying staff to other areas when it is possible to do so."

Councillor Lowe said this system would be continuing over the coming year.

And he said the authority was working on 'smarter and more innovative ways' of delivering services due to the continuing reduction in funding from national government.

At a recent meeting to set the authority's budget for the coming year, councillors were told in 2010/11 the council was receiving more than £196 million of formula and mainstream grant funding.

But next year the equivalent funding was expected to have fallen to below £130 million.

Bosses are set to launch the second phase of a review to cut £1 million from the authority''s management budget.

The council has already slashed the number of director and assistant director posts from 22 to 11 as it battles to find the needed savings.

Officials are now looking at the next tier down with heads of service being reviewed.