Union says workers must not pay the price for Kirklees Council’s financial pressures as number of redundancies confirmed

Last month, an email from the council’s chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, warned staff that up to 750 redundancies were on the way as the local authority tries to make a saving of £47m to balance its budget.

This week, it has come to light that the actual number of redundancies will be around 250 and will be made between October and March.

UNISON has been informed that a voluntary redundancy scheme is not an option as the council says it can’t afford it.

The union is urging the council to think again about its plans, which it says will deprive the community of vital services, and are causing alarm among staff who are worried whether their jobs are at risk.

The union says the council has no agreed redundancy policy in place and has failed to provide clarity on the roles affected. Services such as social work, social care, housing and immigration advice, mental health support and waste collection are among those likely to be hit, UNISON believes.

Leonie Sharp, UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional manager, said: “Job losses mean the loss of vital local services for the community, it’s as simple as that.

“After 13 years of underfunding, local authorities have no meat on the bone left to cut. We can’t see any way cuts at the council can be made without dire consequences.

“Services can’t take any more cuts – and putting workers through this anxiety during a cost of living crisis is just cruel.

“UNISON will do all it can to protect these jobs and services.

"There are other ways for the council to manage financial pressures, and it must find ways to do so that don’t put people’s livelihoods at risk.”

UNISON Kirklees branch secretary Mick Donoghue said: “Local services have been cut to the bone and staff are at breaking point.

"Now’s the time for the government and Kirklees Council to invest in the workforce – not sack hundreds more workers.

“If these redundancies go ahead, the future of vital services the people of Kirklees rely on will be in doubt.

"Workers are saying enough’s enough.”

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “The cost-of-living crisis has had a huge impact on households across the country. It has also put major pressure on council budgets, including here in Kirklees.

"We have taken action to make savings across the organisation including freezing recruitment, cutting non-essential expenditure and reviewing our plans, but we still face having to make difficult decisions.

“The scale of the challenge means that some jobs will be affected.

"The council has now issued an HR1 notice – a legal requirement if an organisation believes it may have twenty or more proposed redundancies.

"An important part of this process is consultation with staff and trade union colleagues. We have now started this process and are working together to ensure that all possible options for avoiding redundancies are explored.”