A COUNCIL is considering cutting neighbourhood warden and pest control officer posts, it has been claimed.

Councillor Mark Wilkes, an opposition Liberal Democrat member of Durham County Council, claimed the Labourrun authority was looking at cutting at least 12 warden jobs and reducing the number of pest control officers by two-thirds.

He said: “These changes would in effect mean that two officers would have to cover the whole of the former Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley districts and deal with more than 20 cases a day of infestations of rats, mice and other pests.

“It is simply impossible for two officers to cover an area of more than 500sq miles. The service will collapse.”

The council faces nearly £150m of cuts and is planning to axe 1,600 jobs. Labour’s budget proposals for 2012-13 will be revealed in coming weeks.

Terry Collins, Durham County Council’s director of neighbourhood services, said: “We are currently reviewing all of our services in line with the budget reductions of £145.8m required in our medium- term financial plan.

“I can confirm that no decisions have been made and any proposals will be considered by cabinet on February 8 and full council on February 22.”