MORE than 10,000 public sector jobs in the region have been axed or are at risk because of the Government spending cuts, union leaders said last night.
The GMB union said 9,214 North-East posts, along with 940 in North Yorkshire, were under threat – part of 150,059 jobs at risk across 260 public bodies in England, Scotland and Wales.
Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, accused the coalition Government of deliberately creating unemployment on a scale never seen before.
“The impact for those who depend on these services will be devastating,” he said.
However, Conservative Local Government Minister Grant Shapps accused the union of confusing job cuts with a reduction in posts, and said councils could still protect frontline services.
Durham County Council is facing cuts of £125m, while Darlington Borough Council’s budget will fall by £22m.
In addition to the GMB’s figures, North Yorkshire County Council has warned 900 staff their jobs could be changed as part of a major restructuring.
Neil Derrick, for the GMB in Yorkshire, said: “Things are bad and getting worse. What the Government is doing is unnecessary, ill-judged and ill-thought through. Our members are unsure of the future, many are facing redundancy and they’re very angry.”
Paul Watson, Labour leader of Sunderland City Council and chairman of the Association of North-East Councils, said the spending cuts could escalate into something, very serious for local authorities, would lead to job losses and affect other local businesses.
He said percentage budget cuts were disproportionately harming efficient councils.
Councils are striving as hard as possible to affect as little as possible the frontline services, but if we maintain a level of quality, we need to realise the services will look different and be delivered in different ways,” he added.
But Mr Shapps said: “It is disappointing that unions are confusing job cuts with a reduction in posts in local government, which can be significantly delivered through natural wastage, mutualisation and early retirement.
“If councils cut out excessive chief executive salaries, share back office services, join forces to procure and wipe out non-jobs, they can protect frontline services.”
JOBS UNDER THREAT
Council ............... Jobs at risk
Newcastle City Council........ 2,000
Durham County Council..........1,600
South Tyneside Council........ 1,200
Northumberland County Council........................1,000
Gateshead Council............... 600
Northumbria Police Authority.... 450
Middlesbrough Council........... 450
Darlington Borough Council...... 360
Stockton Borough Council........ 350
North Tyneside Council.......... 300
Redcar and Cleveland ............300
Borough Council Cleveland Combined
Fire Authority...................180
Tyne and Wear Fire Authority........................170
Hartlepool Borough Council...... 150
Durham Police Authority.......... 86
Northumberland National Park Authority....................18
North-East total 9,214
North Yorkshire Police Authority 210
City of York Council 600
North Yorkshire Combined Fire Authority 130
North Yorkshire total 940
North-East and North Yorkshire total 10,154
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